[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Sunday, August 11, 2013

[Paul]

Well, here we are on the second Lord's Day in the month of August.  I hope that this finds all my readers having a good day or had one.  Those of you in Australia and New Zealand are in your Monday morning, and I hope that your day will go well.

Marlene Depler is the author of today's article entitled "Beauty From Ashes," rendered as follows:

Huge billows of black smoke rose from the mountains to the northwest of our home.  Storm Mountain was ablaze.  Firefighters were called in to contain the fire and attempt to protect the homes in the area.

After the fire was extinguished, my husband and I drove up the steep, winding road to see the damage.  Acres and acres of beautiful trees were now only blackened sticks on the sides of the mountain.  The devastation was sickening.

Two summers later, we took another drive up Storm Mountain.  Blankets of wildflowers in lavender, white, yellow, pink and red covered the once marred mass of rock and earth.  Charred tree trunks still stood as a memorial of what had once happened.  Nevertheless, unbelievable beauty had risen from the ashes of a horrible fire.

Firestorms of disappointment, heartache, loss and pain also come into our lives.  We all end up singed, scorched, scarred and charred, to some degree or another.  Our own poor choices may bring ugly consequences.  Things beyond our control may ravage us unexpectedly and leave our lives in rubble.  Yet the message of Storm Mountain is one of hope.  After a time, beauty can once again return from the ashes of our lives by the wonderful grace of God.

Marlene Depler lives in Colorado.

Well folks, I did not see that until now.  Anyway I hope that you enjoyed this short article and that, even in some small way, that it ministered to you today.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul