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Posted November 17, 2009

Come To The Fire

Believe it or not, there are still some free events to attend. Come To The Fire is one of them. Held in different cities, this year's conference was attended by women from thirty-five states and five countries. From around the world, 1600 women from different denominations arrived in Nashville to receive a fresh word from God and to participate in communion and prayer.

Rondy Smith reminded us, "You're no longer in Kansas. We'll be locking you in by 7:30 p.m. and there will be sheriff's cadets outside so if you leave the building you may be locked out."

Yikes! My friend wasn't kidding when she pointed out the apartment building where a Titan's football player had been murdered earlier.

We heard the testimonies of strong women who have been in the trenches. These ladies have either been digging their own way out of the pit and helping others or they've served as missionaries the world over.

Beth Coppedge, keynote speaker, has had the chief cocaine processor who worked for Pablo Escobar - once the seventh richest man in the world through involvement with the Medellin drug cartel - sleeping in her guest bedroom. Since he met Jesus, he's brought seven other Columbians to the Lord.

Beth explained how she grew weary of a bootstrap religion where she was always pulling herself up. She now depends on her faith and the promises of the Savior. No more shoveling alone.

Kim McLean, Nashville recording artist and now ordained in the Nazarene Church, shared with us her success story of finding her way in Nashville - only to lose her way in a tangled relationship with her two daughters. Having her songs recorded by Tim McGraw and Trisha Yearwood along with other great names was a huge accomplishment. However, life had become difficult during three failed marriages. Her song, Come To The Fire, painted a picture of what it must have been like for the longing-for-shelter Israelites to desire to go close to the burning mountain yet fearing the fire of God would consume them. "The Lord spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain." - Deut 5:4

At one point, the church was full of contemporary praise and worship music, then shifted gears into the old song "Holy, Holy, Holy" and of a sudden, it felt like God was with us in the beautiful First Church of the Nazarene. Located in East Nashville where the Methodist camp meetings started a fire that swept the West in the 1800's, the church and the conference it hosted reminded me of 2 Chronicles 7:1 - "When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple."

I guess it just goes to show, the Holy Spirit can show up, no matter what side of the tracks or what side of the river or how far gone the neighborhood. As Kim McLean's song says, "Jesus is calling, come to the fire." We showed up and He more than met us half way.

I'll continue to blog about Come To The Fire in the next few weeks so please visit again.