By the grace of God, the fires are under control.  We don’t know for how long but at least for now, we can take a deep breath.  We, who have lived in this country long enough should by now have known that natural disasters are not an exception to the rule.  They are the norms.  We should by now have realized that our sense of security was indeed false.  We, who thought that misfortune would befall on those who lived “way over there,” now wake up to the fact that it could happen “right over here.”  It’s been a humbling experience.

However, there is something wonderful that has emerged out of all these devastations: human kindness.  Everywhere we turn, we see love and care; we see many reaching out and helping others.  There is beauty of a big and luxurious home, but there is another kind of beauty that far exceeds that of physical beauty: the beauty of the human spirit.  When we give without expecting anything in return, we show the beautiful—or more accurately—the spiritual side of our human nature.  This is the side that reflects our Loving Creator.

God has never promised us a rose garden; as a matter of fact, He’s never promised us a “garden.”  We, who have lived on this earth long enough, know that life has its garden, but it is not a garden.  Life is a vast landscape where we must tread carefully if we do not want to fall into a hole.  But sometimes we do fall into a hole not by choice or negligence, but by circumstances beyond our control.

We, who lend a hand, show and share the beauty of human spirit; more accurately, the beauty of God.  It’s no wonder God’s personal project through His Holy Spirit is not reformation of societal norms or eradication of poverty but rather the renewing of heart and mind to be like His Son, Christ Our Lord.  You see, it is in His likeness that we, not life, become beautiful, even amid tragedy and devastation. 

Pastor Paul