This is our loafing shed and pasture in 2005. The smoke came from a fire just about half a mile away. The fire had already covered several miles, burning lots of land but only a few out buildings.
It’s that dry time of the year when we pray for rain, and today there were several fires around our county. One was within a few miles of my son’s house and had shut down a highway as the flames jumped a divided four-lane. None were close to us, and I was grateful.
And none of that news really held my attention today as I was shocked by the inexorably powerful tsunami sweeping away lives and livelihood in Japan. How could anyone survive the force of that water that never slowed as it pushed everything across their fertile land?
Our earth is not stable. It has physical changes over which mankind has no control, we can only plan for the aftermath of such instability.
It is now such an aftermath, and I can only feel helpless. How to help? I don’t know. So, I pray. I pray for the survivors on site. I pray for their leaders who must provide so much for them in the near future, and rebuild for the long term.
I search for the way to pray according to His word:
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (Ephesians 5:20 KJV)
I depend on the Holy Spirit to aid in my prayers. For right now, how that should be done, I do not know. I only know that God is sovereign and recall Marty Fish’s comments on that subject.
“The book of Daniel teaches us a great lesson. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were about to be burned alive, for not bowing down to an idol. They answered and said to the king, ‘If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’ (Daniel 3:17-18)
“‘But if not…’ Those are three powerful words. They knew God could save them, if he wanted to, but they were wise and knew that he might not, just as well. Either way, they were prepared to live for him, no matter the consequences. That is what God wants from each of us as well.”
Marty closed with:
“… bless the name of the Lord, because in all things, God is, and will always be, sovereign.”
That much we do know.
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