In Northern California, people are leaving their homes for fear of fire. They find shelter with friends, in schools, in churches.
There are two forces of destruction at work. Flames, aided by high winds, consume everything in their path. Fear can be just as damaging, eating away at someone’s thoughts and energy. Fear can cause damage that is harder to fix than scorched land and burnt houses.
Lord, we pray for the people whose homes are at risk. Protect their property, protect those who are fighting the flames. Turn the winds to blow the fire back on itself, or send rain to douse the flames.
And we pray for the hearts of those who have been forced out of their homes. May they find their true shelter in your everlasting arms and come away from this disaster with a deeper trust in you.
It seems that every day I ask myself the same question…”Just how much worse can the pain get?”
The answer is scary, because it’s, “Worse. Much worse.”
There’s no turning away from the fear, except through a kind of lunatic machismo. I still exercise; it’s vital to keep up one’s metabolism. And when they hurt, I do more of them.
After all, blood truly does make the grass grow green.
It is our culture, Andrew, and not God behind the idea that all pain should be fixed. It was through great pain that Christ gave us the gift of salvation. You, better than most, understand what the gift cost our Lord.