As I follow the story of the fires in Maui, I have a profound sense of sadness. Cheryl and I have been there twice, and we remember the areas that were shown devastated by the wildfires. While it is sad to think those historic beautiful buildings no longer there, even more somber is the death toll – now at 99 – which will no doubt climb dramatically in the days to come.

Nothing here on earth lasts forever. That was not God’s original plan, but sin changed all that. Sin brought death and decay and destruction. The pictures coming from Lahaina brought to mind this passage:

2 Peter 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

I am not saying the residents on Maui brought this on themselves. We all deserve this kind of destruction because of sin. And it is sobering to see those images. Even more troubling to me is considering how many of those who died perished eternally? I don’t know the answer to that, but those who did not put their confidence and faith in Jesus  are doomed for eternity. Even more tragic than any fire or natural disaster is that such a fate can be avoided.

Isaiah 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.

2 Corinthians 4:18  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The promises of God are sure and certain and a comfort to us as we face the problems of this world.

Have you shared the Good News you know with those who have not heard?