Tonight me and my dear wife Ansie was wondering what we can write for your inspiration. Then we felt in our hearts that we should share with you the wonderful testimonies of what happened in Knysna the last week with the wildfires and a wind that was the severest in many decades. Then at this very moment we received four testimonies of what we are about to share with you. They report that more than one hundred houses were destroyed by the blaze. The testimonies streams in from believers that related how they prayed and cried out before God to have mercy on them. Also how they entrusted their lives and possessions in His hands. We saw many photos and videos of houses that are perfectly intact while all surrounding houses in the neighbourhood where destroyed.
Several years ago with the tsunami in Thailand we were amazed by one single house that remained perfectly intact while all houses in the surrounding areas were washed away. Was it special people of God that lived there? We cannot say, but one thing is for sure and that is that God holds every house, every object and every person on earth in His hands. There used to be a song years ago : “He’s got the whole world in His hands…He’s got the whole wide world in His hands”. Thus HE IS IN CONTROL OF ALL THINGS. Jashuah says in Rev 1 : 18 : “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I live forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”
That does not mean that you, as His child, will never lose your house. Our forefathers who moved from Europe to South Africa lost all their possessions when they had to flee from France for their faith because they were part of “The quiet in the land”. But here also our Father in heaven was in perfect control and everything worked together for their good because they loved Him (Rom 8 : 28). If He wills that you must lose everything you can be sure that He has a special purpose with you and that it works together for the good of you who love Him. He will then also give you the grace to accept it with joy (Hebrew 10 : 32-34). 1Pet 4 : 19 says: “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator”. One thing is certain: If you put your trust in your Father you will never be ashamed (Ps 37 : 18-19; Ps 25 : 2; Ps 22 : 5) .