This is the second year in a row we have had fires in
Colorado Springs. Over 350 homes were lost last year and nearly 500 homes were
lost this year. The fires last year were on the west side of the city, far from
where we live. But this year, the fires were in Black Forest near our
neighborhood. They were close enough that our neighborhood was evacuated out of
safety in case the fire continued to move in our direction. You never know how
much warning you might have when a natural disaster is imminent. Some people
have no warning. Others might have minutes or hours. The question is what to
try and save when you don’t know if your house will be there when you come
back. I think all of us have heard to make sure you take photos, important
papers, and any possessions that are not replaceable. In today’s electronic
environment, it is often our computers that hold photos and important papers.
So it is not unusual to see people taking laptops, desktops, and hard drives as
they evacuate their home. In this fire, we heard of people who only had seconds
to evacuate and left with only the clothes they were wearing. And many of these
people lost everything. It made me think of what is really important. And it
was also interesting to see what was important from an adult’s perspective and
a child’s perspective. Our little Zachary packed up the things that fill his life
every day: Legos, some dress up costumes (one was a fireman’s costume), and a
few books. All of those are obviously replaceable, but those are the things he
decided he wanted to make sure were with him. During this week of the Black
Forest fire, it made me think of what could I live without. Many people have no
choice. They lost everything and will have to rebuild from scratch. I think the
two most important things begin with F’s: Family and Faith. We all want our
family to be with us on the other side of a natural disaster. And we can be
content knowing that the one true God is always there, even if we have lost
everything. I think of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:11 when he shares what
it means to be content. The Message version says it well:
I’ve learned by now
to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as
with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy
whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am,
I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
I love that last line: I can make it through anything in
the One who makes me who I am. We can lose all of our possessions but still be
quite full in Jesus Christ who really saves us. That is what we should keep.
Amazed by His Love,
Terence
