As I write this TFTD the news bulletins are telling us about wildfires destroying large areas of land in Europe, Canada and the UK due to the long period of draught. One of the most distressing aspects of this situation is the evacuation of people from their homes. There have been clips of people sleeping on camp beds in reception centres and many of them have no idea if they will ever return to their homes and belongings.
Someone I met from Melbourne, Australia had to leave her home immediately in 2008, when bush fires raged in the area around that city. On the instructions of their minister, they left with just a coat each, and were thankful to the minister who actually saved their lives by warning them before the authorities did. Everything they owned was burnt. Such an event is a trauma that is very difficult to recover from.
As Christians we are encouraged to hold lightly to material things. But our homes mean much more to us than just a place in which to store our possessions. I thought a lot about what my home means to me when I heard these reports about the wild fires My home is
A place of peace and withdrawal from the pressur.es of life.
Somewhere to rest and sleep in comfort and safety.
Somewhere to keep warm in winter, cool in summer, and dry when it rains.
A place in which to welcome friends and family to drop by, share a meal or a night’s rest.
A place for hygienic private toilet and bathroom facilities. Where clothes can be washed, meals prepared and cleared up.
Somewhere to read the Bible, to pray peacefully.
A settled address from which contact with necessary organisations can be carried out.
A garden in which to can plant and sow, harvest produce, enjoy flowers, birds and bees, appreciate creation.
Under International law the right to adequate housing is recognised as a human right, appearing in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In the Bible the importance of a settled home was recognised in the Book of Deuteronomy when the Israelites looked forward to building homes and growing fig trees and vines after years of wandering in the desert. In Chapter 6 they are warned that when they have taken possession of the land and cities and homes ” take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt”.
We do not have the same history as the Israelites of that time, involving a deliverance from slavery in a foreign land, but our homes are deeply important to us. As we hear of those whose homes are threatened with destruction by fire, let us not forget to thank God for our homes, in which we rest, establish and grow as people and in our faith.
Prayer – Dear Father God. Our hearts go out to those whose homes are under threat of destruction by fire. We pray for them, and for the brave firefighters who are tackling these blazes. We pray for the safety of all and for rain to come soon. May we never take for granted the precious gift of settled homes.