Through the Flames and the Smoke

The wildfires in California have scorched hundreds of acres of land, claimed over 30 lives, and burned an entire city to the ground. It’s hard to look at the devastation and see how this is used for God’s purpose. I’m reminded of the angel of the Lord describing the role of Samson, “…the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5b NIV). As an adult Samson took vengeance on the Philistines, “So he went out and caught three hundred foxes and tied them tail to tail in pairs. He then fastened a torch to every pair of tails, lit the torches and let the foxes loose in the standing grain of the Philistines. He burned up the shocks and standing grain, together with the vineyards and olive groves” (Judges 15:4-5 NIV). If we look, God’s purpose can often be seen through the flames and smoke that devastate lives.