With the Australian community, we are overwhelmed at the moment with the devastation and trauma caused by wildfire in several states, particularly in NSW and Qld. Our hearts go out in compassion to those who have lost family members, homes and all normalcy in life. We pray for them, and help in any way that we can!
As individuals, families, or, as whole communities, events outside of our control can unexpectedly rise up and run right over the top of us, leaving us devastated: illness, loss of job, personal attack, relationship breakdown, any of innumerable misfortunes, the death of someone we love. The Bible speaks of our suffering as “walking through fire”! (Is 43:2)
In the Old Testament, Daniel and his friends, while being held captive in Babylon, were attacked and put into an actual fire – a furnace (Dan 3:13-30). As someone looked into that hellish place, they saw them alive and unharmed, and, mysteriously, saw a fourth person with them “who looks like a son of gods”!
The love of God is stronger than our wildfires. It is so strong that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, plunged into the fire of His death on the cross for us, to forgive us, and make us His forever.
This assures us that God is walking with us in the middle of the worst trials in which we find ourselves; protects and keeps us so that the flames don’t hurt us, and brings us safely out of them; and actually uses these fiery trials to “re-forge” us as His glorious children (2Pt 4:12,13).
Trust in Him, however ferocious the flames.
Grace and cheers, Jonathan.