Mark Sorensen I told my wife that the run would only take about 30 to 45 minutes and headed out the door. Of course, things never quite go as we plan, do they?
In my neighborhood, there are two paths I typically run. One is the paved path that stretches to the other side of the neighborhood and back. The other is a bit more “woodsy” and dangerous. It’s pretty unpopulated, yet there’s a lot of beauty on that trail. Feeling a bit adventurous, I took the path less-traveled last Saturday.
About 20 minutes into the run, I saw in the distance ahead of me smoke and a scattering of about 5 to 10 kids running around. When I got closer, I saw there was a problem. It was a fire and a pretty large grass fire at that. Trying to assess the situation, the teenagers just “found it” (their words, of course) and didn’t know what to do.
No worries. I got this.
I call 911 and share with the operator what I am looking at, and, what’s looking at and moving towards me. I give the necessary details, the neighborhood in which I live, and that’s when she asks the following question…
“Where are you right now?”
I had no answer. Literally. I had no idea where I actually was! I just knew I was on a trail and somewhere in the neighborhood. As I start to semi panic, she says, “Sir, calm down… look to your right. You should see a water treatment plant tower. See it?” I turn and look. “Yes.” “Great! Go that direction and fire and rescue will meet you.” At this point, I ask the obvious question: “Uh, how exactly do you know where I am?” She responds, “Because I am looking at you. I see your location.”
Long story short, Fire and Rescue showed, got to the fire and was able to put it out before it reached the nearby woods and the residential neighborhood that was just on the other side of those woods. It was a crazy experience.
Last Sunday, we looked at a passage from 1 John 3 where John spoke on sin. That led us to a lot of points of interest in the Word. We looked at King David in 2 Samuel 11 and his “terrible, horrible, no good, really bad day”. We looked at Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 and saw that where God speaks “life” and “truth” in Genesis 1 and 2, the enemy speaks “lies”, “chaos” and “deception” in Genesis 3. But the good news? 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of those sins. In both Adam and Eve’s story and the story of King David, choices were made that went against God’s plan for their lives. Little by little they lost their location and the grass fire appeared to be blazing out of control, surely leading them to mass destruction. Yet, God met them where they were. He knew their location. They just had to seek out the help of their Father.
Grass fires burn and they char the ground. Consequences do the same, right? It can be overwhelming and, honestly, it can seem quite hopeless when we find ourselves in those situations. Yet, when we reach out to God (who knows our location, by the way), healing comes; restoration, renewal and redemption are made available; and God can work with even the darkest of situations. Remember, James says, “submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:7-8)
So, the good news? Wherever you find yourself right now, friend, take heart. The Lord sees your location. Lift up a prayer. And then? Hold on. Help is on the way.
