Are you prepared? It鈥檚 a question we often ask or are often asked, but this week it鈥檚 a question that screams out at me. As fires rage in parts of our province, the fact that dense bush and trees thrive just two streets away from our front door moves that query from merely theoretical to 鈥淲ow, that鈥檚 too close for comfort!鈥� Being prepared doesn鈥檛 always come to mind but this sure is a wake-up call.
Even being prepared for those major events, though, isn鈥檛 a guarantee that we鈥檒l always know what to do when the unexpected comes our way. Take this morning, for instance. Though of little importance when placed beside raging forest fires, catching my toe on a sidewalk crack as I left church today was something I wasn鈥檛 planning or anticipating. I tripped and on my way down I had enough foresight to aim as carefully as I could and it worked; instead of landing on my head, I hit my knee and upper arm with great force but I didn鈥檛 crack my skull. Fortunately there were trained medical people who quickly came to my rescue. I鈥檓 bruised and sore but doing fine.
Less visible scars that life leaves on all of us are different: Be they unexpected illnesses, loss of loved ones, abuse of every kind and loneliness deep enough to drive people to despair, those scars become part of who we are. For me and millions more, trusting Christ offers peace and comfort in the most trying of circumstances; having said that, no one 鈥� not even Christians 鈥� escape life鈥檚 pain. The answer? It鈥檚 not found in glib responses but in a maturing confidence - knowing that nothing escapes His eye and nothing can take us from His hand.
鈥淕od is our refuge and strength鈥herefore we will not fear鈥�.鈥� Psalm 46:1, 2
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