God Will Put Out Your Fires… Hello Hump Day Readers. For the last 3 weeks at the campground we have had smoke each morning due to a wildfire that began with lightning strikes and a day after those, also a “stupid human”—which means, someone who left a campfire blazing. I know the word stupid isn’t nice, but in this situation, the National Forest Firefighters call it that way—I think you understand. They also call a wildfire the ‘DDD’ which is ‘devastating, destructive and deadly’. Those three words are also applicable to the firefighters who try to put the beast out and often, as we know in the situation of the Granite 19, they can lose their lives. Yet, fire is something that also cleans the forests and it takes dicey work with those who manage a prescribed burn. Hats off to all of them I say!

Sometimes fires come into our lives and it isn’t about smoke and flames. I’m talking about those dark days when your heart is on-fire with pain and sorrow. A physician tells his story about his ‘fire’ as he was beside his young son’s bed. His son had been diagnosed with a fatal kidney disease, and his time was growing short. As the boy lay dying, the man picked up his journal and wrote: “O God, you gave me the ability to be a physician and here I am sitting at the bedside of my dying son at 3:48 in the morning and with all the skills you gave me I can do nothing for him except to weep like crazy.” We can certainly feel his pain can’t we?

Bertrand Russell—a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic, political activist, die-hard atheist and Nobel laureate (busy guy), said “I do not believe one can sit at the bedside of a dying child and believe in God.” I understand but I beg to differ!

I believe the faith that God has given us is what strengthens us even amidst the worst of times. If we don’t believe this, then we have to ask ourselves, “How else can we make it through life?” The fires of life drain us and everything else. And when that happens, nothing else can satisfy our souls…except for God.

The physician’s loss of his son was devastating. He said “I would easily give my life for his, but God has not chosen that path for us. He has chosen a vale of tears, but I believe with all my heart that God will walk through it with me.” As hard as that is, he had the right perspective and his faith brought him through.

In Psalm 34:18, a sorrowful King David said: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” [NLT]  And in Revelation, Jesus took the Apostle John up behind ‘the vail’ because Jesus wanted him to write down these words to give us strength and deepen our faith and confidence in the Lord: “He [Jesus] will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” [NLT] 

As hard as life can be in devastating ‘fires’ we must hang-on to God’s promises even if God doesn’t always give us an easy path in life. We could have a seminar with stories about this for weeks on end, but in all reality, it doesn’t change the pain.

However, in the midst of fiery sorrow and pain, we feel alone and wonder where God is. We forget that God walks with us through our dark days and never ever leaves our side. And while we may not understand the purpose of our pain on this side of heaven, we must cling to God’s goodness and promises. We must lean on our faith and be confident that God’s plan is always perfect even if we don’t understand it…and that isn’t easy to do is it?

So, as hard as this is, think about those dark times and how God brought you through it. Then ask God to remind you of those promises when the dark days come—and they will—and you will be fine because you know to turn to God first for the comfort, peace and healing you need. God knows what deep pain and hurt is. Imagine God watching the crucifixion of his only Son. He didn’t interfere, in fact he  turned his face away–all for you and me so we were forgiven and have the promise of eternal life.  So, my friends, it is true—God gets us, God loves us, and God is with us through every part of our lives until God calls us home. Can you think of any better help and promise outside of God? Nope! God is the real-deal, AMEN.