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Thoughts on California Fires

I woke up today to the reports of fires all over Northern California.  I went outside to go the gym and could smell the strong odor of smoke in the air.  According to official reports earlier today, 65,000 acres or 100,000 square miles are burnt or burning.  1500 structures have been destroyed.  The news showed pictures of a golf course in Napa county.  All the homes along the ridge above the golf course were nothing but a pile of ash.  Remnants of garage doors and vehicles dotted the landscape.  The devastation is amazing.

I have not heard what started the fires, but at this point it does not matter.  With none of the fires even partially contained, this will take a long time to control.  The wind has been the enemy of the fire fighters with 50 mile an hour winds forcing the fire forward.  The only thing the fire fighters could do, the reporter said, was to get people out of the way.

The head of California Fire said, on the news today, that October has always been California’s worst fire month.  I did not know that.  I know that when I went to college in Southern California, the Santa Ana winds were strong and hot.  It was an easy task to dry our clothes outside when the Santa Anas were coming through.  I remember those nights well and the “high fire” danger warnings that came over the news on those nights.

Through all this, we must remember that God is sovereign over all things, including the fires.  With this knowledge, we have several responses:

First, run to God and plead for mercy.   We need to realize that we are not the master of our fate.  Hurricanes in the East and fires in the West, We do not control our environment.  We need to throw ourselves on the mercy of God.

Second, believers in Jesus Christ need to step up.  Hundreds of people have lost everything and we need to step into the gap.  We need to gather together and give to these people.  Christians need to find places for them to stay while they rebuild.  Christians need to give food and clothing and transportation and whatever else is necessary for the survival of the dispossessed.  When people cry out for mercy, it is Christians who become the agents of God’s mercy and during this time, as the love of God is shown, perhaps some may be saved.

Third, we need to pray.  Christians need to pray for God to show himself during this time.  For God to show his glory during this time and for God to draw, even drive people to him.  Situations like this can be political but God is the only solace.

To comment on the government’s response, Flights into and around that area are cancelled.  Also, an Air Quality alert is being issued for the Bay Area due to the smoke.  Travel in and around the fire area is restricted with road closures too numerous to list.

May God bless the fire crews, keep them safe and bring them home.

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