Good morning…
Media images expose California’s charred devastation. Haunting. Horrifying. Heartbreaking. So much beauty and vibrant life reduced to soot, ashes, remains. The smoldering stench in the air must smell suffocating.
Two men I love live in California. One a family member, the other a forever friend. One a Democrat, the other a Republican. One homosexual, the other heterosexual. One with a lifetime partner, the other still an eligible bachelor. One a recovering addict, the other enjoys his drink. One a yoga lover, the other a golfer. One has probably never watched SportCenter, the other is a loyal Cleveland sports fanatic. Both know God in their own intimate way.
Checking in and exchanging texts, vivid words enhance the TV images. One wrote: “Fires are a long way off this time…about 100 miles to Malibu and all the rest are up north. It’s unbelievable.” The other wrote: “It’s about 30 miles away. I’m pretty safe. I did drive through some charred landscape this morning. You can smell the burnt mountainside. Very spooky.”
One wrote: “With global warming…it looks like it’s the way of the future…we just have to plan for it.” The other wrote: “I appreciate your concern. I have to tell you that even though the fire is unpredictable, fighting it could be more predictable. Our governor and past governors have squandered and allocated money in all the wrong places. We could have purchased more firefighting planes and spent money clearing dead brush that acts as kindling.”
One wrote: “People continue to rebuild in dangerous areas.” The other wrote: “It is time to prioritize people.”
These texts hold hands with the email I received from a friend who is helping me to envision a women’s mission trip to Florida to support victims of Hurricane Michael. She wrote: “In keeping with this horrible act of nature, my sister-in-law lives in Paradise, California – the town that was completely consumed by fire – she and everyone else lost everything!!! Tens of thousands survivors displaced. So difficult to imagine. Keep them in your prayers as they discern where to live next. We are thankful she is alive.” I also am thankful for technology that connects us to the needs across our globe, for the news media bringing us firsthand photos that touch our hearts, and for the Creator of the earth, the Maker of everyone everywhere, the God who hears our heavy prayers.
At the end of our poetry reading time (see Trees Dance With God), my friend Jerry handed out these words as a powerful parting gift. As Richard Rohr recommends, “Read them aloud,” and allow this truth to penetrate and empower.
Please remember:
No ocean can hold it back…
No river can overtake it…
No whirlwind can go faster…
No army can defeat it…
No law can stop it…
No distance can slow it…
No disease can cripple it…
No force on earth is more powerful or more effective than the power of prayer.
The Lord hasn’t lost his powerful strength; he can still hear and answer prayers (Isaiah 59:1, CEV).
…Sue…
