THROUGH THE FIRE

Photo by Kassidy Mitchell

Yesterday as I was deep into preparing for a FDA Inspection; 

I received a text from my sister.  I was expecting this 

text to be about my uncle who is in the hospital, 

but this text was something different.   My niece had 

gone to a ballgame and received a call that her home

was on fire.  She rushed home only to find that there 

was little left standing.  The fire had consumed

the entire house, her car and an older pickup truck

parked close by.  

As she watched the fire fighters move throughout

the evening, tears began to flow.  She realized she

had just lost everything to this wicked blaze.  

She had some treasured items in the home 

that now lay in a few feet of rubbish smoldering 

in the evenings darkness.   

I am sure as her mind scanned the 

rubbish from a distance, she could 

only think of the memories being consumed.  

The photo's, the keepsakes, the special blankets, 

jewelry boxes and so much more that once she

could behold are gone.  

The tears began to flow as she realized she

didn't have the ring on her hand that her 

precious grandmother who had passed away

had left for her.  More tears began to come

as she had to let go of that one thing she 

cherished so dearly. 

The rubbish settled, the fire fighters went 

home but the house was still a heap of rubbish.  

When all was cooled down and safe, she began 

to walk through the rubbish.  She realized there 

was nothing left; everything totally gone.

She walked through and could tell where the 

kitchen used to be, into the living room, and

then into the bedroom.  Her bed had steel on 

it so she could tell where the head of the bed 

was and then the foot of the bed.  She knew

her dresser was only a few feet from the 

bottom of  the bed.  One, two, three feet

or so she stepped off.  The dresser should 

be right here, but there was nothing.  As she

bent down to dig through the rubbish, there

was one small item she found; the 

beautiful diamond ring her grandmother 

had given her.  

Tears began to flow as she held it in her 

hands.  Deep breaths and more tears as 

she realized she had her diamond right 

there in her hands.  Through all the flames, 

the heat and the destruction, the ring had

made it through the whole ravaging 

episode of the evening.  

As my sister told me about this, my tears

also began to flow.  She had found her 

precious treasure.  

Do you realize that we are much like this

diamond?  We are God's treasure.  We go

through the storms of life and sometimes 

our bodies go through much pain and 

torment.  Many times we feel there is 

nothing left but rubbish, just ashes of 

 worthlessness.  

Suddenly the Lord steps in and picks us 

up out of the rubbish and makes our 

lives shine out into the world, that they 

may see, that through the fire, through

the flood, through the stresses of life, 

we still shine.  

We may not look like we did before the 

storm but when he picks us up and dusts

away the rubbish, he holds us close to

his heart, and he says, "I have found my

treasure and oh, how I love thee." 

But now thus saith the LORD that 

created thee, O Jacob, and he that 

formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: 

for I have redeemed thee, I have 

called thee by thy name; thou art 

mine. When thou passest through 

the waters, I will be with thee; and 

through the rivers, they shall not 

overflow thee: when thou walkest 

through the fire, thou shalt not be 

burned; neither shall the flame 

kindle upon thee   For I am the 

LORD thy God, the Holy One 

of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave 

Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia 

and Seba for thee.  Since thou 

wast precious in my sight, thou 

hast been honourable, and I have 

loved thee: therefore will I give 

men for thee, and people for thy life.

Isaiah 43:1-4