In the Fire

Life can be difficult, but even when we face challenges, we can know and utilize what is available by
virtue of our relationship with Christ. 2nd Corinthians 4 states:

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 

The power to overcome and the ability to grow through trials is directly related to our reliance on the Lord's strength, that He makes available to us.  We can also make sure that we are growing in the knowledge of God, so that we can turn to Him in faith when we encounter the opposition that is sure to come in this world.  We are in a consistent state of training, being molded into the image of Christ, growing in Him, and becoming more skillful in the use of what He has provided to sustain us when we feel weak.

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1 Peter 4 indicates some of the resources that are available in order to prepare and sustain us when we 
attempt to navigate through difficulty. We can read:

11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Where there is a crisis, we can look for the presence of Christ - time and again, when there is disaster, you see believers who are stepping up to answer God's call.  No doubt, we will see that in the coming days in the aftermath of Sally.  And, California residents, as well as those in other Western states, who have faced destruction or the threat of it in the face of rampant wildfires, are experiencing the tangible presence of the Church.

Religion News covered different forms of relief from religious organizations, including several Christian entities. One example is from Clovis Hills Community Church in the Central Valley of California, which, according to the article, "has been accepting perishable donations and has opened up their parking lot for evacuees who need to sleep in their cars. People have also camped out in tents on church grounds."  The article relates:

Erin Cox, a church member, has been taken aback by the public’s generosity. She teared up talking about people impacted by the fires who have volunteered their own time to help.

“People who have lost everything, their entire home, they're coming back to volunteer the next day,” Cox said.

“These people don’t want to take,” she said. “They want to save it for their neighbor.”

The article also mentions the work of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief in California, which is headed by Mike Bivins. It states:

Bivins said about 60 church volunteers have been working in shifts to help distribute food to evacuees who have been placed in area hotels by the Red Cross.

Bivins said they’ve also deployed chaplains to provide company and guidance to people who have been evacuated. This work has been challenging during COVID-19, as chaplains have to wear protective gear and keep socially distant from those they accompany, Bivins said.

“The main thing is stress mitigation,” Bivins said.

But, there have been other barriers, too, according to Bivins, quoted in a Baptist Press article from August; he says, regarding COVID rules preventing the Red Cross from establishing shelters: “Feeding and chaplaincy work was done in the shelters, and they are not setting up any overnight congregate shelters.”  The piece goes on to say:

Instead, those forced to flee the flames are being given vouchers for hotel housing in multiple locations.

“It’s really in a way sort of frustrating because … people are just scattered,” Bivins said. “With COVID and non-congregate sheltering, it’s difficult to set up and serve meals.”

He says that, “Right now, the churches seem to be handling it on their own..." The article notes: "...Individual Southern Baptist churches in the state have offered to help displaced residents and receive any needed supplies from the state convention."

Nevertheless, national relief organizations are continuing to do the persistent work of getting supplies to those who need it.  Recently, The Christian Post reported on the efforts of Convoy of Hope. Stacy Lamb from that organization said, “When you take something like fires in California, Oregon, and Washington, where they’re literally stretched over thousands of miles, setting up a single site out there doesn’t really make a lot of sense..." He adds: “So it’s easier to find those partner churches or those hub churches and provide them with the resources and let them distribute locally.”  Lamb described the situation as "almost apocalyptic," and added, “Even the folks that aren’t necessarily in harm’s way from the fire, the smoke and all the ash and all those things out there are just impacting so many more people..."

The article notes that the causes of the fires are multiple, including lightning, downed powerlines, and even arson.

We can be thankful for churches and relief organizations that are sensitized and mobilized in times of adversity - as we will be seeing in the days to come, there will be a coordinated response throughout the body of Christ to minister to storm victims in the aftermath of Sally and the continued relief provided in the areas affected by Laura.  Plus, there is an ongoing response to the fires in the western states.  And we can remember the firefighters in those areas who are bravely going into harm's way to provide a solution, as well as first responders who have faced the brunt of storms in order to rescue and protect those affected by storms.

Certainly, there are storms that will afflict us - not only those natural occurrences, but also emotional storms that will rock our world, spiritual storms that will threaten to get us off track in our walk with Christ, relational storms that produce bitterness and anger.  We also know that we will encounter those fiery trials that may seem insurmountable.  But, regardless of the form that adversity comes, we have a faithful God who is with us in the challenging times, who shows us His mercy and reminds us of His presence when it is difficult, and who will train us in spiritual crisis management when the fires and storms are not so intense.  We always need to recognize and rely on Him, knowing that we will face difficulty in this life.