Redemption

Dr. Keith Wagner once wrote about the devastation caused by the eruption of Mount Saint Helen in 1980. The forests were destroyed by fire, and the rivers were choked with debris. Fish and other wildlife died. Toxic fumes filled the air, and the future for the area seemed bleak.

However, less than a year after the eruption, scientists discovered that despite the fact the rivers were clogged with hot mud, volcanic ash, and floating debris, some of the salmon and steelhead had managed to survive. By using alternate streams and waterways, some less than six inches deep, the fish returned home to spawn. Within a few short years, the fields, lakes, and rivers surrounding Mount Saint Helen once again teemed with life. Even the mountain itself began to show signs of new vegetation.

Dr. Wagner’s point was that sometimes in life what appears to be a hopeless situation, really is not. Pain and suffering ultimately do not get to have the last word. Devastation and heartache do not get to have the last word. God does. And, out of the ashes, out of the suffering, there comes a new strength, a new depth, and a new beginning.

Let us pray: God of all new life, help us to trust that you are at work even now in the broken places in our lives and in this world. Give us glimpses of redemption, healing, restoration, and renewal, so that we would have courage and hope; for we pray in the name of Jesus who said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Amen.