Through the Fire

1 But now thus says the Lord,he who created you, O Jacob,he who formed you, O Israel:“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,and the flame shall not consume you.3 For I am the Lord your God,the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.I give Egypt as your ransom,Cush and Seba in exchange for you.4 Because you are precious in my eyes,and honored, and I love you,I give men in return for you,peoples in exchange for your life.5 Fear not, for I am with you;I will bring your offspring from the east,and from the west I will gather you.6 I will say to the north, Give up,and to the south, Do not withhold;bring my sons from afarand my daughters from the end of the earth,7 everyone who is called by my name,whom I created for my glory,whom I formed and made.” (Isa. 42:1-7)

Southern California is on fire this morning.

Over a million people have been evacuated - the largest mandatory evacuation in the US since the Civil War, according to CNN. 12,000 have taken refuge in QualComm Stadium. The firefighters and government officials openly acknowledge that the fire is 0% contained, won't stop until it hits the ocean, and that there is nothing they can do. No one even knows how many homes have been destroyed.

At a time like this, it's easy to focus on personal safety, even at the expense of others. Yet it is in such settings that Christians have a chance to really shine. When the barbarians invaded the Roman Empire, and all the other religious systems went into an "every man for himself" mindset, the Christians were set apart by their care and concern for others. That's what we can pray for our brothers and sisters in Southern California today.

Isa. 42:1-7 is also valid for you facing your own fires. As believers in a fallen world we face the reality of danger - whether it be natural disasters, violence in the workplace, or terrorist attacks. There are untold reasons to fear. But God's promise is sure: He will be with us in the fire. It's that assurance that can keep us in the fire, serving others, rather than joining the world in an "every man for himself" mindset. Even when we flee, we can do so with an attitude of service rather than selfishness ... because God Himself is with us.

Pray for Southern California today - that God will show Himself through believers. And I pray as you are on the field doing what you do today, that He will show Himself through you!