I live about a mile and a half to the
south of the Black Forest Wildfire that’s been burning for fours days.
Sadly, it has claimed two lives, 369 homes, more than 16,000 acres, and altered
the lives of thousands. Diane, my good friend and receptionist where I work was
evacuated on Tuesday and found out yesterday that she lost her home.
What can we do to combat this fire? Truth
is, you and I can have a huge impact. I got an email from my Colorado Springs
friend, Jack. Here’s what he suggests:
Please consider two passages on
intercession. They teach us that God searches for intercessors to withhold his
hand of judgment. (I am not proposing that his fire is God’s judgment). But
still the truth of both of these passages is that God searches for intercessors
to stand in the gap for the land.
"I searched for
a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for
the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30
“And He saw that
there was no man, and was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then
His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him.” Isaiah 59:16
Will
you join me in interceding for the land before our God to stop the fire in His
mercy to the forest (beautiful trees), homes, livestock, and human lives? If
you are so inclined, you may want to fast as well.
By the way, though I live close to
the fire, unless there’s an unusual shift in the strength and direction of the
wind we do not appear to be in serious danger. Nonetheless, my wife, Janet, and
my youngest daughter, Michelle, and I gathered together our important papers
and most treasured items so we’ll be ready to evacuate just in case.
Click here to see a Thursday night report about the fire on the NBC News with Brian Williams.
Click here to see a Thursday night report about the fire on the NBC News with Brian Williams.
For an incredible photo jurney and experience of the bravery, hope, despair, pulling together, love, sacrifice ... that is intrinsic in the heroism we see in the midst of human tragedy, take a look at a hundreds of photos posted by the Denver newspaper: http://photos.denverpost.com/2013/06/11/photos-black-forest-fire-engulfs-homes-prompts-evacuations/#161
ReplyDeleteAnswered prayer or a coincident:
ReplyDeleteAs of Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 1:30 pm: "Fire crews working overnight and Saturday morning have brought the Black Forest fire to 45 percent containment. Some evacuees permitted to return to their homes. 15,500 acres burned and 473 home lost." Source - Denver Post.
Thank you for standing in the gap for the land!
Sunday AM, June 16, 2013: About 30 percent of the mandatory evacuation zone for the Black Forest Fire was downgraded to a pre-evacuation zone at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sheriff Terry Maketa said. Pre-evacuation zone borders will be County Line Road to the north, Walker Road and Hodgen Road to the south and everything in that area west of Meridian Road. High Forest Ranch will also be downgraded to pre-evacuation status, the sheriff said.
ReplyDeleteThe number of homes lost was revised to 482 late Saturday night by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. Authorities also raised the number of homes in the fire area that are apparently undamaged from 3,181 to 3,584 early Sunday morning.