Yesterday, a nurse shared how local wildfires ravaged her neighborhood. Her neighborhood consisted of acres of crops and livestock with homes sprinkled here and there. She described the devastation she saw in every direction from her property. All of her neighbors lost their homes. The fires spread, even crossing roads, and engulfed everything in sight.
This nurse described how the line of fire came right up to her cattle pen and stopped. The fires came on her property seemingly encircling and preparing to consume her home, but it never did. The fires stopped short of damaging any of the structures on her property and any of her livestock. Her home was the only one spared.
The husband was trying to put fires out and helping neighbors when the soot and smoke overtook and blinded him. The husband was taken for assessment and treatment, and his lungs were untouched by the smoke. His vision was fully restored weeks later. This nurse described loved ones who heard about the fires and told her they prayed for a protective dome around this nurse, her husband, and their home. She said it reminded her of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into the blazing furnace and coming out unscathed (Daniel 3:19-28).
“The prayers worked,” I told her. The nurse knew that. The other person present and listening, I think struggled with processing that statement. It wasn’t long ago that I was that person unsure of what to make of stories told about divine intervention. I would have thought derisively about prayer having anything to do with this nurse’s home and husband being spared from the fire. And I would have thought she was talking gibberish in saying those names from the bible.
Testifying to God’s existence and how he intervenes and blesses us is not only nourishing to those who believe but especially important to those that are on the fence. I am remiss for not having the presence of mind in my time spent with this other person present. I should have asked her if she knew who Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were and of their story in the book of Daniel. She is incredibly empathetic and generally a good person. I think she might have listened and maybe even curious enough to check out the bible story herself, which would be a win.
Anything we can do to bring others closer to God, even if only exploring a story in the bible is a win. I am still new in my faith and new at sharing or testifying to God’s omnipotence, omnipresence, faithfulness, sovereignty, and love. But there will be other opportunities.
When have you shared your faith? Were you able to see what came of it?