Weekly Prayer: When the Fires Come

The northern California town where I live still carries the wounds of the Carr Fire of 2018. Blackened trees stretch up the sides of our mountains like scars that never fully heal. Concrete slabs remain where families once laughed and built dreams. And many here still carry the residue of those days—not just in memory, but in lingering coughs and cautious hearts. Fire season is no longer just a time on the calendar—it’s something we feel in our bones.

So as I watch the unfolding devastation in Los Angeles, my heart aches. I know this grief. I’ve breathed that smoke. And I’ve looked at the sky praying for rain.

In seeking the Lord’s heart for this moment, He brought these promises to mind:

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat and what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they?”
— Matthew 6:25–26

“Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
— Matthew 10:31

These words are not just poetic—they are powerful. They remind us that in the smoke and chaos, we are still seen. Still known. Still cared for by a God whose eye is on the sparrow.

So today, we pray:

Father, have mercy. Bring Your rain to quench the fires and Your peace to calm the hearts. Provide shelter, nourishment, and restoration to those who have lost so much. Strengthen the weary, embolden Your people with courage, and remind every soul that You are near. Let this time of trial be a testimony of Your faithfulness. Amen.

Wherever you are, take a moment this week to lift up those facing devastation. And if you’re walking through your own fire—literal or figurative—know this: You are not alone. You are seen. You are valuable.

Let’s walk forward as Ruth did—in hope, in faith, and in covenant with the One who is always faithful.