Light in the Fire

We can trust the Lord in the midst of our difficulties and acknowledge Him in our victories.  We can
place our hope in the hand of God. Isaiah 12 says:
2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; 'For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.' "
3 Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.
4 And in that day you will say: "Praise the Lord, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted.

When we endure trouble, we can make sure that we are praying, calling out to God.  Sometimes He will deliver, other times, we will remain in that trial period until His purpose is fulfilled.  But, even then, we can know that He walks with us and His presence can sustain us through the experience.  We can draw closer to Him as we acknowledge our need for Him.  And, when that season is complete, we can testify to His faithfulness.

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There is a passage in Psalm 18 that can remind us to call out to God in prayer, recognizing that He is our source of strength.  His ways are higher than our own, and His answer may not be what we
expect, but we can trust Him. The passage says:
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

The Camp Fire in California has now been brought under control, and the damage is massive, with thousands of homes destroyed and dozens losing their lives.  But, for one church in the city of Paradise, in the center of the destruction, the fire became - an answer to prayer!

According to a piece on The Stream website:

Pastor Tim Bolin of Paradise Alliance Church told The Stream his church has recently been praying for God to provide an opportunity to share the Gospel in their community. That He would change the hearts of those in Paradise. They never thought that prayer would be answered in such a sorrowful way.

The pastor is quoted as saying: "...What’s interesting is, I just talked to my neighbor, I just moved into a new house seven days before the fire. His house and our house are actually still standing, but the fence between us burned down. He’s not a believer but he said, 'Tim, I’m spiritual. Maybe I need to go to church. Maybe you and I could talk about God and why did He spare our houses?’ All the sudden he’s asking questions and I’ve never had an opportunity before."

Bolin's house survived and the church survived.  His daughter-in-law and grandsons had a close call; in a position in which they were surrounded by fire and took refuge in a bulldozer pulled by a fire engine until a fireman led them to safety.  

Now, Bolin is dedicated to helping to meet the needs of the community. The article says that:

When he and others get back into Paradise in a few months, he’s planning to make the south lot of the church into parking places for RVs and trailers. It’s then, he explained, that reality will hit. “You’re going to have to really help some people with comfort and love and hope.”

In the meantime, the pastor is requesting prayer, saying, "That’s the only thing sustaining us. And I don’t say that lightly." He relates: "The last few days, we’ve heard from several sources, the adrenaline has worn off. And despair’s hitting. And all those emotions are hitting them and I just believe prayer’s our best tool.”

Let's examine some takeaways in this midst of this story that is filled with devastation, but that can lead us to hope.  We know that prayer can provide the foundation for not only recovery, but sustenance in the midst of our difficulty.   And, the answers to our prayers, as we see in this case, are not necessarily what we might expect.

Pastor Bolin did not endure some of the enormous destruction that came as a result of this fire.  It is a difficult thing sometimes to consider why some are delivered from disaster and some are not.  But, a principle on which we can rely is: if you've been blessed, you can consider how you can bless other people.   We can celebrate and communicate the goodness of God.

Also, we can learn that desperation can produce opportunities to serve and to converse about spiritual matters.  In the midst of service, conversation can arise.  And, in the midst of commiseration, meaningful dialogue can proceed.  The common experience can provide a platform to discuss the things of the Lord.

And, we can remember to be thankful for how we have seen God show up.  His mercies endure forever, as Psalm 136 tells us, and we can give honor and praise to our loving, merciful, and longsuffering God, who is faithful to work in our lives for His glory.