A Cozy Fire

Today I woke up to the news that literally hundreds of vehicles are stuck on the Highway 402 and that many motorists have been stranded in their cars all night. The wind has been blowing fiercely and the weather is cold.  I can only imagine what a difficult night it has been for many of those people.  Seeking a safe harbour in the midst of a storm has been a practice for as long as the human race has existed.  Many years ago when my children were young and when we lived in another part of the world, we used to hope anxiously for wild winter storms.  In Quebec it was common practice to close the schools and usually the whole world would stop.  As soon as we got word of an impending storm that would shut everything down we would pack the kids into the car and head for our cottage.  It was heated by wood and we always felt safe and warm watching the blizzard outside from around the crackling fire.  When we got bored or adventurous we would all get dressed and go outside for a bit to experience the fury of the weather.  Then when we came back in we had an even greater sense of warmth and security.
There are many storms in life and not all of them are the weather events I have just been talking about.  Where can you find that warm crackling fire to sit around until the storm has passed?  It is with my God who is a  safe shelter in the midst of any situation.  ""God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam."  (Psalm 46:1-3)