Issue 1507 – Out of Control – July 25, 2024

British Columbia, the province I live in, and much of our neighbor Alberta are on fire. Not both provinces, of course, but large chunks of them. More than 425 forest fires are active in BC, most of them considered out of control, with 175 burning next door.

To some degree, it is expected because both provinces have forests larger than many countries. Still, it can be traumatic for all involved. We all share a concern for these beautiful areas.

Numerous communities are on evacuation alert (they must be ready to leave on short notice) or have already been evacuated.

Beautiful historic Jasper in Alberta is burning as I write this. Today’s image is of Jasper, courtesy of the Rocky Mountain Outlook.

It isn’t the end of the world, but for many people who are losing their livelihood and worldly possessions, it is the end of the world as they know it.

That is the way of the world. We never know when we might be devastated by fire, flood, illness, accident, earthquake, or storm. We might be victims of crime or find ourselves refugees because of war. The economy and other factors may cause us to be unemployed or see our savings and pensions dissipate.

None of us can control the time of death of ourselves or our loved ones.

If our trust is in the things of this world, we will be disappointed. The only two questions are when and to what degree.

We can do everything we can to mitigate and minimize the damage, but we cannot control most of the factors that impact our lives.

Our true hope comes from someone who transcends all the material things of life. It can only come from God himself.

The Lord is all-knowing (omniscient), all-powerful (omnipotent), and every present (omnipresent). He is loving, just, merciful, and perfect in every way.

The world may take away our possessions, relationships, health, and even our very lives. It cannot take Jesus from us.

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:22-29

The world may devastate our lives and plans, but Jesus will hold us fast. He will carry us through any disaster or problem, all the while shaping us to be what He created us to be.

In the end, the earthly problems will fade into insignificance, and we will have eternity in glory with Him. That doesn’t mean life will always be easy or what we hoped for, but it does mean we will get past whatever the world throws at us and come out victorious.

Hold fast, my dear friends. We have victory through Jesus. His steadfast love does indeed endure forever and his mercies truly are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.

Praise his faithful and holy name.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV)