On Sunday, September 4, 2011, the Reverend Phil Woods left for his Bastrop pastorate as usual. He spent time in prayer and study before the activities of the day began. During service, a message was sent to him that told him his home and one of his vehicles had been destroyed by fire. I have gotten the report that at least ten families in that congregation were also burned out as a result of the fires that consumed 1,600 homes. It truly must have been God’s judgement!
But those people had been bad before the fire started! In the months before this fire, record-breaking meteorological conditions conducive to combustion were happening in the Bastrop area. During this year, that area endured its most severe single-year drought since the 1950’s, receiving the lowest single-year rainfall since 1985, and experiencing the hottest June-August period of any area at any point in time on record – exceeding that of even the Dust Bowl days of the 1930’s!
People in Bastrop were expecting help from Tropical Storm Lee, but it only produced strong winds over the Labor Day weekend, creating ideal conditions for wildfires to spread. On September 6, the Texas Forest Service released a statement, describing the fire’s behavior as “unprecedented” and stating that “no one on the face of this Earth has ever fought fires in these extreme conditions.”
This fire destroyed more homes (1,600) than any other single fire in Texas history. By comparison, the second-most destructive fire on record, in April, 2011, destroyed 168 homes, while the third, in December, 2005, destroyed 116. Insured losses caused by the Bastrop fire were estimated at $150 million.
Remember, these people must be worse than the people who were killed on 9/11. There were only 2,976 Americans murdered that day. On December 7, 1941, only 2,403 Americans were killed by the Japanese “wild eagles”. I believe these people must be worse than those in New Orleans who were affected by Katrina!
Truly, bad people reap bad things!
Or do they?
Aren’t you glad that you are smarter than people who believe that only bad people get bad things! God’s Word reports that good and bad things happen both to good and bad people! None of us are in any position to think that we escaped the flames, or Katrina, or the Japanese bombs, or the Twin Towers massacre because of “our goodness”! God has been so merciful to us – in spite of the fact that our area, too, is extremely dry and we have been under a “burn ban” most of the summer.
The encouraging truth is that, apart from God’s mercy, all of us are miserably short of being the person we know we should be. No – we are not murderers or hijackers, but our words, attitudes, and priorities have often been a long way from being another page out of the New Testament!
The wonderful part is that God knows the very rawest part of us and remains relentless in His love for us! He hears us when we murmur to Him, “I am really sorry.” Now, after the thousands of “I’m sorry’s,” we still have His undivided love, attention and commitment of love!
I would never be considered for the “saint of the year” award, but I have a Savior who loves me and always reaches out to me in love when I chose the wrong pathways. Having spent time pastoring in the same church in Bastrop that Pastor Woods serves, I know that there are a lot of God-honoring people in that community! I know that this is not a good thing that has happened, but I am convinced that good will come from it! God has not promised us “a rose garden”, but He has promised that when bad things happen, He walks with us through them. When the doctor says there is no hope, we have hope in God! When our loved ones turn away from us, we have a God who moves closer! When fires come to destroy, I truly believe we have a Savior who will help us rebuild back better!
“Bad people who live in Bastrop,” we want you to know that we stand with you in prayer that the God of Heaven will come along side and help us in this day of trouble – just as He has promised!
