I read an
article that told me that the Hebrew word for marriage literally means fire. The author suggested that fire is the image used to represent personal reformation. One
story I remember talks about how the refiner constantly watches the fire when he is working with silver, lest the precious metal be injured by too hot a flame. It is when he can see his own face reflected that he knows it is ready. What a lovely image of us being crafted in the image of our Creator.
I got curious and went on to read
another article that told me something even cooler. (Cooler than fire? Hmmm). The Hebrew word for man includes three letters and if you remove one, it becomes the word for fire. The word for woman includes three letters and if you remove one it becomes the same word for fire. If you take those two leftover letters they just happen to spell God.
The author suggests
that when a couple keeps God nestled within their relationship, the fire gives them light and warmth. But if they remove Him, they are burned up.
When i think about the times I feel lit up about being a wife, it is often a bigger arena than LoriandJohn. Putting on a conference, meeting with a mentor couple, creating music for a concert in the park, all warm me up even in February.
For He is like a refiner's fire.
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; Malachi 3
