Reflections on fiery matters

How the cattle moan!
The herds mill about
because they have no pasture;
even the flocks of sheep are suffering.

To you, O LORD, I call,
for fire has devoured the open pastures
and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.

Even the wild animals pant for you;
the streams of water have dried up
and fire has devoured the open pastures.
Joel 1:18-20

I have been reluctant to post anything for the last few days, because all the thoughts in my head seem so trivial compared with the suffering that those in Victoria have been experiencing. It is a good reminder that we cannot control the world around us, not matter how hard we try, nor can we escape the inevitable judgement.

I am however slightly annoyed at some of the surrounding events:
1.The media who ask people who have lost their family, friends or homes "How are you feeling about this?".
2.The fact the the media can get access to these people (to ask inane questions) when their family can't.
3. As there is little new "news" to report, and the enquiries will now take months to report, the news is that.... Australia made the news in the US and Australians have donated so much money to the cause.
4.Confidence tricksters who use the tragedy and people's generosity for their own gain.
and lastly, and perhaps most heartbreakingly, a Christian pastor claiming in a press release that the bushfire happened because of Victoria's abortion laws. While I don't support the laws in Victoria, I think that the application of a passage in Chronicles is very poor exegesis. A better application would be that of the tower of Siloam (Luke 13:4). Jesus asks his listeners if "those killed were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?". His answer to the rhetorical question is "I tell you no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

That is the lesson that we all must hear, that we all, poor sinners, must face death - and we never know when or how it will come.