The Letter is from a man who had lost faith in God. He was a firefighter who was close friends with a woman firefighter. He said, "She brought me even closer to God and His word. She also did mission work. She was full of life and love, even though she was only 24 years old when we met. She showed me that no matter what, God should always come before anything else.
. . . We decided to attack [a fire] from two different sides. Just let me say that we both had hundreds of hours of training and both knew what to do if anything went wrong.
She was only 150 to 200 yards to the south of me when the wind shifted violently! We had been through this training a thousand times, but I could hear her screaming my name over all the other noises around me! The survival process is simple she would always tell me. First thing above all, before you do anything, is you believe in God! Then you take out your survival blanket and cover up, and God will do the rest. To me God didn't do His part!
By the time I could fight my way through the smoke and fire, she had already burned to death! Her blanket had gotten hung on a small tree, so she had no chance! I carried her burned body over a mile and placed it in a body bag! I also placed my faith in God in that same body bag along with all my hopes and dreams."
What this man endured was a horror beyond words.
However, just this week hundreds died in an earthquake in horrific circumstances. Most were buried alive. Also this week, parents lost their children though cancer, others were crushed in car accidents, and others were horribly murdered. No doubt, many of these people prayed and believed in God. Some may even have trusted in the Savior, and knew that Jesus spoke of two builders. One man built his house on sand, while the other built his house on rock. Both builders were hit by the same storm, but only the one built on the rock stood firm. The one who stood firm was the one who heard the words of Jesus and obeyed them. So, even (especially) during the calm times, be obedient to the Scriptures. Read them daily and be totally surrendered to the will of God. That way, when a storm hits, you may be shaken, but you won't fall.
Please pray for the fireman.
If these things happen in your life or around you just remember Christians know that tragic things happen in this world - because of the Fall of Man: the sin nature and consequences of sin. There are other tragedies from the Fall also that permeate within creation itself. Disease, Floods, Tornados and even Fires that result in death.
While God’s will for the firewoman’s life was to call her to heaven at that time, the fireman is left behind, just as we are when these kinds of things happen. But they happen for a reason and God will always get glory from it. Perhaps those she knew will hear the gospel at the funeral and come to Christ. It could be her sister, her brother, her mother, her elderly grandmother, a coworker, several people she knows, or perhaps a friend’s boss upon hearing the employee is going to a funeral of a dear Christian friend ends up in a conversation about Christ. It could be the paramedic who just started on the job, it could be someone who passed by the fire and thought about a recent gospel message and was contemplating the shortness of life when he drove by the accident and saw a body bag being carried to the ambulance. It could be a number of encounters that happen all around the Christian firewoman’s death.
I always pray that is the case every time I see an ambulance. I hope it will touch those involved, those around them, those they know and create a ripple effect. That Christians around these people will reach out, or if the person in the ambulance is not saved that someone at the hospital…perhaps a Christian roommate, a Christian Chaplain, a Christian family member, etc… will be able to pray with them and reach out to them in this delicate situation to reach them with the gospel so they can be saved. They may not have much time left, or they may recover. They may die on the operating table after a second procedure.
Whatever it is… whether they are a Christian who will discuss these things with others they know after they leave the hospital, or with those who come to visit them during recovery, or among their circle of influence at home or at work or with a stranger, or someone who comes to Christ because of a Christian sharing the situation with someone else….God’s glory will be done and Christ will shine forth as the Savior and God will receive all the credit for whatever the results are relating to the firewoman’s death or the life of one who is in an ambulance that is racing down the street. These are the reasons I pray in all situations that I hear of, and when any ambulance passes by. Because I care about the salvation of all men.
I also pray that there will be laborers in the field around the situation so that the gospel can be proclaimed and God will receive Glory. That the Lord will compel a believer to step out of their comfort zone and speak to others a word of hope and share the gospel that saves souls.
Will you pray with me that this firefighter is a Christian who is just struggling with this situation right now because he doesn’t understand it, and due to the loss of this influential Christian woman and friend of his, he is confused and needs answers. Will you pray that he will receive a clear understanding of God’s will, purpose, glory and etc in the death of this firewoman at the funeral and or from fellow Christians, so that he can clearly
*understand these things in life, and
*thank God for all that he will do through her death in the coming days, months and years as those she knows testify about her,
*the tragedy of a life cut short
*the truth of no guarantee of a long life and
*that God’s glory will be revealed as souls are saved and seeds are planted for salvation.
*and everything else I mentioned in this email, and more.
Pray also that you will stand strong in the faith, with a clear understanding of God’s sovereignty and will and glory in all things, so that you can continue in Christ through tragedies, and assist others (for Christ) with this information and reach out to them with the gospel, so that they can become saved and have peace with God – even amidst storms in life and tragedies too.
Resources that may help you as you life for Christ, witness to those you know and meet, and to encourage those in your church with evangelism training, can be found at: livingwaters.com youtube channel under Way of the Master playlist
PS. Feel free to share the link to this post to your Christian friends and those in your circle of influence God Bless
