Flames

When we are surrounded by trouble and our hope is waning, we can draw strength from the presence
of the Lord. In Psalm 32, we can read:
7 You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

When times in our lives occur when our faith is challenged and we experience weakness in withstanding the difficulties of life, we can choose to focus on the problem, or to focus on the Lord, who provides strength and solutions.  We can rely on Him to give us instruction, to provide the direction we need in order to navigate those troublesome times.  We can hide ourselves in Him and allow Him to fight for us and advance His cause.

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In our times when it seems like the challenges or spiritual threats might outweigh our resources and
our resolve, we can look to our Redeemer, and in Him we can have hope. Isaiah 43 states:
1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.

Dozens have died in those tragic California wildfires, with thousands of firefighters and first responders battling the flames.  John and Jan Pascoe have a unique survival story that was reported on the Faithwire website, integrating content from a Los Angeles Times article.

Over a week ago, the Pascoes had recognized that there might be a limited amount of danger.  Around bedtime on Sunday night over a week ago, they received a call from their daughter who said that her father-in-law's home 40 miles away from the Pascoes had burned down.  John and Jan began to take some precautions, including putting some of John's paintings and two Dale Chihuly glass bowls in their pickup truck.

Their daughter called a couple of hours later and begged for them to get out.  They tried, but upon driving down their driveway, they encountered a wall of flames.  They drove back up the driveway and began to strategize.  The place of rescue - a neighbor's pool; they headed for it and waited until the last possible moment in order to jump into the 50-degree, soot-covered water.

The Times article said that, "To stay warm, they held each other. They stood back to back. They spoke about their deep love for each other and their family."

Faithwire reports:

By first light, the Pascoes had been in the pool for about six hours. With the worst of the fire seemingly behind them, they emerged from the water and fashioned what remained of their tattered clothing and melted shoes into a loincloth. They trudged back up the hill to where their house once stood and found nothing but ashes in its place. At their neighbor’s home, only a life-size statue of a cherubic angel made it through the fire unscathed.

John is quoted as saying: "We lost everything, and we have to start over. We’ve been here for 35 years. That’s a little hard to get my head around, but… we’ll be fine,” adding, “We have each other, and that’s something we found really came out of all this: We have each other, and we’ll be fine.”

Obviously, this is a harrowing survival story, and while you don't get an indication of the Pascoes' faith perspective, they were able to draw strength from one another, and it is an inspiring tale of how the bonds of a married couple and their reflection on the good times they had experienced together kept them going.

This story can certainly provide inspiration and instruction for us when the flames of fiery trials seem to be encircling us.  When there seems to be no way out, we can turn to our powerful friend, who will comfort and sustain us.  And, we can look for a way of rescue, a plan of escape - for the Pascoes, it was a pool; for us, it will likely be something different, but we can make sure that we are looking for God's wisdom and depending on His Spirit.  But, when it seemed like there was no way out, a plan emerged.

We can reflect on a powerful lesson for us concerning faith and determination, powered by God's Spirit. There will be the flames that come into our lives, and we may find ourselves surrounded.  But, rather than be discouraged by the challenges, we have the credible option to focus on the hope, to concentrate on God's resources and His provision.  We can find our encouragement in Him.