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Help for Australia in the midst of bush fires
Originally appeared on spirituality.com
Giant bush fires have raged through much of the state of Victoria, in the southeast corner of the Australian continent. Emergency crews and firefighters have been on the scene for days battling extreme heat and hot north winds. These winds drive the fires at high speed through the tinder dry bushland taking people’s lives and destroying homes and wildlife. Thankfully, temperatures have cooled over the past few days and some fires are being contained.
Giving in to shock and despair, or feeling helpless, can be hard to resist in situations like this. But there is something we can each do to bring calm and comfort to all those affected or threatened by the fires burning out of control.
It begins with turning resolutely and quietly to God, the Principle of all life. Much like the flames sweeping over the landscape, fear and anger can ignite and ravage our normal trust in God’s goodness and presence. So it’s helpful to take a moment and ask, Can fire truly destroy God’s creation? When we consider the Bible’s message in the first chapter of Genesis, that creation is in fact spiritual, and therefore constantly intact, we can help bring clarity and control to situations which appear frightening and unmerciful. We can reassure ourselves and others that no place, thing, or thought can ever get outside the comfort and stability that are natural to existence. We can calm our own fears of danger and any angry, resentful thoughts, on the basis of recognizing that the nature of God as Love is always present. This divine Love has genuine, enduring power over us and everyone.
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