At church today, we were invited to show our support with an offering for the victims, an opportunity to place a yellow flower in a vase (to represent our prayers for the victims) and a special time of prayer and reflection, In The Grieving: After The Fires.
I particularly want to share with you this reflection which touched me.
Forgive us as our faith is blown by the hot wind of questioning.
May we honour what lies before us,
rather than attempting to offer easy answers or trite responses.
May we honour what lies before us,
rather than attempting to offer easy answers or trite responses.
Even though the fires seem to have taken place in remote places (e.g. Kinglake, Marysville), we know of locals who are personally affected.
One family lost their eldest son aged 22. He was at his parents' house in Yarra Glen and when the fire swept through, there was no time to escape. He did, however, have just enough time to call home and tell his family he loved them.
What tremendous presence of mind and thoughtfulness. And how gracious is our God for letting that final "I love you" happen. I am guessing that memory and that conversation will be in the hearts of his loved ones forever.
Tragedy has a way of revealing who we really are.
Just as we are encouraged by stories of Australians who are organizing fundraising appeals, sending caravans packed with relief essentials and helping to rebuild broken communities, we are appalled by those who seek to take advantage of the situation: making false bereavement claims, looting from collection tins, calling up real estate agents to find out if there is any scorched land going cheap.
Here's another reflection I want to share from today's service.
One family lost their eldest son aged 22. He was at his parents' house in Yarra Glen and when the fire swept through, there was no time to escape. He did, however, have just enough time to call home and tell his family he loved them.
What tremendous presence of mind and thoughtfulness. And how gracious is our God for letting that final "I love you" happen. I am guessing that memory and that conversation will be in the hearts of his loved ones forever.
Tragedy has a way of revealing who we really are.
Just as we are encouraged by stories of Australians who are organizing fundraising appeals, sending caravans packed with relief essentials and helping to rebuild broken communities, we are appalled by those who seek to take advantage of the situation: making false bereavement claims, looting from collection tins, calling up real estate agents to find out if there is any scorched land going cheap.
Here's another reflection I want to share from today's service.
Affirmation of Faith
We believe that we are never left alone.
God holds us in the hollow of a loving hand
and cradles the whole world in compassion.
Christ walks beside us and bears within,
every grief and pain which is ours.
The Holy Spirit hovers like a dove of peace,
breathing healing and kindness over the stricken people.
This is our God,
the One whose life is never defeated.
Already we see before us the rising of good and hope.
This we believe.
Despite this disaster our communities will live again.
We believe that we are never left alone.
God holds us in the hollow of a loving hand
and cradles the whole world in compassion.
Christ walks beside us and bears within,
every grief and pain which is ours.
The Holy Spirit hovers like a dove of peace,
breathing healing and kindness over the stricken people.
This is our God,
the One whose life is never defeated.
Already we see before us the rising of good and hope.
This we believe.
Despite this disaster our communities will live again.
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