We woke this morning to hear the tragic news of the deaths of two RFS volunteers from Horsley Park Brigade, who perished in a vehicle accident whilst firefighting near Bargo.

For me it was particularly sobering, given that only four days ago I was on the same stretch of road, in the same uniform, in the same type of fire truck, serving in an out-of-area deployment to fight the same Green Wattle Creek fire that continues to rage.

Even though I felt somewhat powerless this morning, I knew that I could still pray that God would bring comfort to the many people who are grieving the loss of family, friends, and fellow brigade members.

This kind of tragic incident reminds us of the shortness of life, and that any day might be our last.

Whether you’re responding to a fire with lights and sirens, or simply crossing the road outside the shops, every activity brings risks that can lead to death.

When I conduct a funeral service, I read these words of comfort and assurance from the Bible:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Our life is like grass, we flourish like a flower of the field; the wind goes over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children. (Psalm 103:8, 13-17)

At at time like this we pray for the comfort of those who mourn, and we also pause to reflect on our own mortality as we know that one day every person will stand before Jesus to give a personal account for their life.

The good news in this time of sadness is that Jesus has promised to give each of us certainty for eternity if we simply trust and obey him as our loving ruler and rescuer.

Today all RFS brigades will fly their flags at half mast as a mark of respect for the firefighters.

As you see the flags, pray for comfort for those who are grieving, and reflect on the fragility of life this side of eternity.

JODIE McNEILL

(I took this photo on Monday on a firetrail between Balmoral and Buxton, only a short distance from where the tragedy occurred last night.)

As yuletide arrives in full force, we receive a fresh reminder that food and festivities go together like pork and crackling… or turkey and stuffing!

It’s hard to imagine Christmas without excesses of fancy fare, with plates full of food to enjoy.

At a recent event at which I was saying ‘grace’, I thanked God for creating food with such a variety of tastes to enjoy.

Like so many aspects of his creation, God could have given us limited colours or sounds or smells… but instead he lavishly poured out for us a smorgasbord of sensory experiences.

Yet whilst there is pleasure in fine food, the greatest joy is the experience of eating with others, in the same time and place, enjoying a break from the busyness of life to share a meal.

It should come as no surprise for us to note how many times Jesus ate meals with his disciples.

Throughout the New Testament he ‘broke bread’ with people, marking out moments in time when he would make an announcement or share a significant occasion together.

The most famous meal of the Bible was the Lord’s Supper, which was based on the second-most famous meal of the Bible, the Passover.

These meals recounted extraordinary moments of salvation, which found full fulfilment in Jesus’ resurrection from the tomb.

Meals were a special time to be absorbed in a moment of remembrance, and to enjoy a multi-sensory experience of food and fellowship, in the framework of faith.

As you enjoy the season of festal food, give thanks to God for the joy of experiencing the wonder of his lavish creation… but above all, for the greatest gift of Christmas, the birth of a son who would die for our salvation.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit Ruth Hartnum via Flickr.com)