Somewhere between stage 2 and 3 of sleep last night, I was jolted awake by our phone ringing. When it's close to midnight, people don't normally call to chit-chat. The voice on the other end sounded familiar, frightened, and told me through tears...my youngest niece was caught in a fast-moving fire engulfing houses and buildings on Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. I realized it was my oldest niece and asked her to repeat what she had said. The kids were scattered about the college campus on a typical gorgeous evening when fire alarms went off to the shock of nearly 1,000 students. Within a matter of minutes, pine-filled embers were flying through flames 100 feet high, eucalyptus trees were bursting and kids were running to reach the temporary safety of the gymnasium. My niece called her sister from the gym and tried to talk to her amidst the chaos, cries and confusion but her phone was not well charged and soon disconnected. There were a few texts which followed with the last words "I love you so much" before the phone battery died and contact was lost. Hence, my phone call.
I immediately dropped to my knees in the dark and we began to pray together. The story in Daniel 3 was not just a Sunday school coloring page...it was the cry of my heart. For a young teenage girl with no parents or grandparents left alive, she needed to know the Father was there with her in that moment as no one else could reach her.
Dan 3:24,25 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."
The Lord gave me peace that He was there in the midst and she would be delivered. When we finished praying, my born-again niece and I had prayed that all of those kids would see the reality of God and His power in the midst of destruction. They would know His grace, His protection, His goodness, mercy and that HIS beauty would be brought out of the ashes that remain today.
That school is not the same Christian college it used to be...it seems much like any other secular college around the country today. But I have hope. Just about an hour ago, we heard a testimony that in a particular area of the campus, some buildings (including the psychology and arts buildings), trees, and beautiful gardens were completely destroyed by flames, but in the center of it all...untouched...remained the original 40-seat "prayer chapel". As described on their website, the chapel was built to provide "a place to spend time with God and to pray and meditate in a quiet spot away from earthly noise and distractions."
God's protective hand was a shield over that place of prayer and quietness with God while everything around it was burned up like chaff. Click HERE for photos.
I don't want to cut this short...but I think if I stop here and just allow the Lord to finish this entry for you...He'd do a much better job than I ever could. Bless you.
Dan 3:28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him...
Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
