Wind Fire, and Angels

Living as we do in the cabin we built on the edge of River of No Return wilderness; fires are a consistent and substantial threat in the summer months.  We have been evacuated several times over the past decade as fires have threatened us from the North, South, East and West. Although we do not look forward to being displaced from our cabin for any part of the eagerly anticipated summer months, we have seen the Lord use natural disasters like these fires for His purpose.    The scriptures even say He will!  

In the particular summer I now speak of, the fire began and spread on a mountain ridge to the West of our cabin and community. What began as numerous little lightning strikes, eventually grew together to become one large fire known as the “McGuire complex fire”.   The winds that at that time of year blew predominantly from the west made this fire a particular threat to both our cabin and the town of Dixie three miles to the North.   

Since we had become accustomed to these seasonal fires and the evacuations the forest service often required, we learned that leaving our cabin at the early stages of the fire was not always necessary.  We would stay around as long as it remained safe. 

The fire crews that worked in our area of the Nez Pierce forest usually bivouacked in Red River, a valley meadow about twenty miles to the North. Hundreds of personal tents would pop up, along with the larger trucks and trailers that set up mess halls, showers, bathrooms, and offices. One summer I received permission from the authorities to serve as chaplain for the camp, holding several services each week as I worked around the fire fighter’s crazy schedules.            

The opportunities to minister to these many away-from-home fire fighters was not limited to visiting their camps.  Since we were the only people living in this part of the forest, those working in our area would often come by our cabin to make sure we were aware of the current fire conditions.  We found this an opportunity to build relationships with these men and women by inviting them to our cabin for meals or even a cold glass of iced tea.      

The year of the “McGuire complex fire”, we saw numerous fire fighters come through our cabin.  With their constantly changing schedules, we would seldom see the same men and women more than two or three times.  Those that had been stationed in our areas for extended times learned to appreciate the home cooked meals Betsy would prepare for them. 

The fire that year quickly advanced to a very threatening stage. The town was warned that it could descend the ridge to the West of town quickly if the winds increased.  A day came when they forecasted a “red flag warning”. This meant the winds were expected to significantly increase from the West about 11 AM. If that happened, both the town and our cabin would be in serious danger  

Earlier that morning, three fire fighters came by to be sure we were aware of the warning. This had happened many times before, the fire fighters always admonishing us to pack up and leave. This time though things were different. After asking if we were aware of the impending threat, the three men then sat at our table, drinking tea and just talking friendly talk. There was almost no mention of the fire. After an hour or so of visiting with these men, they got up to go. I accompanied them out on our front porch.  As they walked off towards their truck, the last of the three men turned to me on the west end of our porch and with a big smile on his face stated “we’ve got your back”.     

As the time drew near that day for the 11 AM winds that were predicted to stir up the fire and advance it towards our cabin and town, I found myself on my knees in prayer.  As I prayed, I was reminded of the time that Jesus calmed the winds on the seas of Galilee.  Now the Bible says that Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, today, and forever”.  I served the same God as the disciples and I had already seen Him do so many miraculous things that stopping the wind did not seem that difficult a task.

It was nearing the time for the forecasted eleven o’clock winds, and I could already see the stirring in the fir trees around our cabin. I walked out on our porch, that same west end where the fire fighter has assured me “we’ve got your back”. Facing to the West, I lifted my hands and began rebuking the already increasing winds.  Only minutes into that prayer, the winds suddenly became still. I do not mean they sort of diminished, I mean they stopped. I turned to look at the fir trees and noted that they were not moving at all. I waited to see if this was a “lull” in the winds, but the stillness continued.  The winds had been rebuked. Oh how I praised the Lord!   

When the report came out the next day from the forest service, it noted that the winds, which through the morning had begun to increase, suddenly stopped somewhere around eleven o’clock.  Even the official report out of government agencies takes note when the God of Creation acts on behalf of His people.    

Our marveling at what happened that summer morning continued. Returning to my cabin that day, praising God and knowing He was still the master of the winds, the picture of the fire fighter leaving my porch and saying with a smile “we’ve got your back” came back to me. A verse then came to mind from the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah that says “the Lord will be your rear guard”.  I then remembered the firefighter told us his name was Johnathen.  Thinking of the other two men, I remembered that they had also told us their names, they were Michael and Gabriel.  Could it be that Johnathen, Michael, and Gabriel, all very suspiciously meaningful names, were messengers of the Lord encouraging us to not fear the winds, but to trust in the one who controls them.