Our daughter and her family live in California. More specifically, they live in Los Angeles County in the center of the San Fernando Valley. ENan and I have received many calls and text messages asking, “How are they doing?” “Are they safe?” The short answer to the inquiries is yes, our folks are safe. Being in the center of the valley, they have a lot of concrete and not as much vegetation as the hills and canyons where the fires have been so destructive.
The deeper answer, however, is that the fires have damaged more than homes and businesses. Several of our grandchildren’s friends have been forced from their homes. Their schools have been closed, schedules have been disrupted and they live with the tension of uncertainty every day. They are trying to maintain some sense of normalcy, while keeping one eye on the news and the other on the horizon. It’s not easy to stay calm when fires are raging all around you.
The Bible tells the story of three young men who were surrounded by fire. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were devoted followers of Yahweh, the one, true God. Their commitment to God took priority over the edict of the king, who commanded that everyone bow down to him. Even the threat of being thrown into a fiery furnace did not sway their resolve. They told the king, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us…” (Daniel 3:17)
The king was furious at the refusal of the three young men, so he kept his promise and tossed them into a blazing furnace. When he peeked in to check on them, he shouted, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25)
You can be sure that the “fourth man” has been in the fires with the folks in California as well. He may have arrived wearing a fire hat or driving a rescue vehicle. He may have taken on the appearance of a neighbor with a water hose or a volunteer organization delivering meals. He may have been that unexplainable sense of peace in the midst of great loss.
Pray for the people of California. Pray for an end to the fires. Pray that the residents know they are not alone. There is another in the fire with them.
-Dr. Jim Baldwin
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