Trial by Fire

Isabella and I were sitting in the living room tonight.  I asked her if she smelled anything and she said smoke.  We immediately started to try and find where the smell was located.  We determined it was coming from the dryer.  I turned it off.  The smell seemed to be getting stronger.  My dad told me to turn off the breaker, so I did.  I told Isabella this time of year we had to be very careful about fires.  Ironically, Chad came home from working the ballgame and announced a neighbor’s house was on fire.  Sure enough the police, fire trucks, and emergency responders were on the scene.  I can’t imagine what it would feel like to stand and watch your house burn.  We work so hard to pay our house payment, or maybe to buy new furniture, and on and on.  One of the most gut wrenching things I thought about was pictures, keep sakes, heirlooms, all the things that cannot be replaced.

 As I was thinking about all these things as we watched the emergency team work, God reminded me of this scripture:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

How hard it would be to see the things precious to you gone in a minute.  Once they have time to grieve their loss, I hope they can take comfort in the fact that the Bible tells us that God has an inheritance for us that is imperishable!  God convicted me instantly about putting this World before Him, and reminded me that only actions and deeds for the Lord would stand the test of fire.  We do not know how much time we have, so we need to spend it telling the one thing that will last forever; God’s gift of salvation.  I pray that our neighbors will recover quickly, and that God would truly show his presence in their great time of need.
 I love the following song “Not For A Moment”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08s3GKRict8

You were reaching through the storm
Walking on the water
Even when I could not see
In the middle of it all
When I thought You were a thousand miles away
Not for a moment did You forsake me
Not for a moment did You forsake me

[Chorus]
After all You are constant
After all You are only good
After all You are sovereign
Not for a moment will You forsake me
Not for a moment will You forsake me 

[Verse 2]
You were singing in the dark
Whispering Your promise
Even when I could not hear
I was held in Your arms
Carried for a thousand miles to show
Not for a moment did You forsake me

[Chorus]
And every step every breath you are there
Every tear every cry every prayer
In my hurt at my worst
When my world falls down
Not for a moment will You forsake me
Even in the dark
Even when it's hard
You will never leave me
After all

[Chorus]

Not for a moment will You forsake