“We went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.” Psalm 66:12

Fires For Good

I read a news report recently that caught my attention. There was a fire at a church in West Virginia. The fire was so hot that fire fighters had to back off at one point from fighting it. The church burned to the ground.

But when they went through the charred wreckage, they found something quite unbelievable. Not one Bible (nearly 2 dozen of them) or cross (3 of them) was burned! They posted pictures of the Bibles and crosses. There is no explanation for how this could have happened. There should have been nothing left but ashes. The firefighters said “the odds were against us—God was not.”

As I read the report, I couldn’t help but think of how God protects us, His children, in the “fires” we face. We can feel the heat! We know the flames are all around us. But God brings us through the fire. We may have some singed edges…but we make it.

I feel a bit like that at the moment. I’ve been through quite a few “fires” the last few years. But with God’s help, I’ve made it. He has faithfully protected me!

I confess that I’m certainly not a fan of the fire. I don’t like the flames of trial and testing. I don’t like the burning times of suffering. But I’ve seen that there is “gold” that comes from them. We can’t have victories without battles. Everyone on this earth goes through hard times! The big difference we have is going through them with God beside us. He’ll bring us through the flames in His own unique way. He uses the fires for good in our lives.

“I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48:10).

“God, You are with us through every trial of fire. You protect us from the flames. With our hand in Yours, You help us come through as gold. Help us to confidently persevere on hard days, according to Your faithfulness. Amen.”