A Prayer For People In Trauma and Crisis - Especially Folks In Lytton Who Were Burned Out

 Yesterday we were praying about water and relief from the heat dome that’s been over Western Canada.  I just got a notification on my phone while I’m typing this that the coroner is reporting that the heat wave saw at least 719 people die in one week – three times the normal number of sudden deaths.

We mentioned how one town, Lytton, had broken the record for heat in all of Canada for all the time they have been recording and did it three days in a row.

Well, as many of you already know, because the news has been on network news around the world, that village was so tinder dry that a fire was sparked and in a matter of minutes the town was on fire and the last report I heard was that 90% of the structures in the town have been lost.  

People had only about 15 minutes to grab what they could and get out of town. We know that many went to emergency centers but lots of others are unaccounted for at the moment. Authorities are still trying to determine if  folks were injured or killed beyond the 2 we’ve heard about.

Today we simply want to pray for these folks who have lost everything – even more than their home they’ve lost their community, their hospital, their places of employment and on and on the list goes. 

Let’s lift them up to God’s care today – and any others that we know in other circumstances who have lost or risk losing things to the heat and the fires.  We’ll certainly also pray for the families of the 719 folks who died this past week in the heart.

Well Lord, You’ve told us in Your word:

Do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10

That’s a pretty tall order when things are spiraling out of control in a deadly way like they did in Lytton a couple of nights ago.  With everything lost – burned to the ground – how can people not be dismayed we might ask ourselves. 

But then we are grateful that you’ve told us that You are our God and that in these times when we are totally helpless, You will strengthen us and help us, holding us up with Your right hand.  Well, the people of Lytton certainly need all of that today and going forward as they process the shock and sorrow of having lost everything to this wild fire. 

Families of those who have lost loved ones to the heat this week are also grieving and shocked and feeling the loss.  Come alongside them with strength and comfort and vision for today and tomorrow.

It’s in these very moments that we want to respond to what you tell us:

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.    Hebrews 4:16

We can’t begin to know what all the needs are going to be going forward for everyone in Lytton but we know that You know each one of them and You are present to each of them.  We pray that they will turn to You and find that mercy and help in their time of need whether it is physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual – and they will certainly have deep needs in all of those areas. 

We pray that those family members who have not been able to be in touch with their loved ones who stayed behind to fight the fire will quickly have contact.  We pray that staff and volunteers at crisis centers will be able to provide comfort and help that’s needed in these initial hours and days.  We pray for patience and resilience and that peace You promise that passes all understanding to fill and surround the hearts and minds of each one.

In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

We pray for generosity and helpfulness to be the hallmark of every level of government and of individuals and churches and communities.  Help us to all to help and truly be community to one another. 

We pray for children and the vulnerable who have lived in Lytton and don’t know where they will live beyond the first days of emergency shelter that’s provided by the government.  Help all these families to find housing alternatives for the next weeks and months as rebuilding or relocating details are worked out.  For those who have lost jobs we pray that You will assist them to find alternate employment quickly.

We hardly have words to know how to pray when the needs are so significant but we come to You God because we are promised in Your word that:

My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

And so we simply hold these Lytton community members up to You and ask You to fulfill this promise in their lives in whatever ways You have planned for them.  We trust that You are a caring God in the middle of horrible times. 

We’re so much better off when we face trouble with You than without You.  May these residents of Lytton and their families discover this or deepen their experience of this through this challenging time.

We ask all this in Jesus’ strong name.  Amen.