Upheld in Times of Fire and Times of Refreshment

The Heat Wave

The heat wave finally broke this week. How wonderful to wake up to cool rain last Friday morning. Most of the western side of the country has been parched, our collective tongues hanging out of our mouths, while the eastern side was sliding away with rains and mud. How strange.

For the last month, the Northwest has had record breaking heat – nearly every day. I love the sun. I love the warm weather. I love the garden. I love being outdoors  and doing things. But the sun beat so hot it burnt everything in sight, the heat so intense that there was no rest, the garden dried up and the lawn turned brown, and who wanted to do anything? We just could NOT find the energy.

Then the fires started. Oh my. Some lost homes, some breathed a sigh of relief when the firefighters were able to stop the spread. One of those fires was in my back yard—just over the hill and right in one of my favorite places to wander in and rest. The rain put that fire out, I think, thank God. But what will it look like when I go to see?

The forecast is for cooler weather this week. I see people outside doing all kinds of things. The rain restored more than the lack of moisture. It re-energized us and renewed us.

The Renewal

God does that.  His aim is for our growth. He turns up the fire. It blazes and eats up everything in its path. It races across our spiritual terrain in an out of control fashion. It burns day and night and we can see the flames! The smoke chokes us!  It feels destructive and we fear for our lives.

But then the rain comes. The fire stops. The cool moisture soothes the burnt areas. They don’t look pretty at this point, blackened and hollowed out stumps and ash everywhere.

But wait until the ground has time to recover. New growth will come. New green shoots with the promise of nourishment to flowers, birds and wildlife. It will be beautiful once again.

God promises the same kind of redemption for our burned out hearts and lives. He is in the business of renewal.

Just ask Him.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” John 10:10b.