Tenterfield River of Life: Gems rain down in among the ash and lava

I read about how Michael Benson and his two work colleagues were given the challenge of shouting an aerial footage of Hawaii for a movie back in 1992.

Unfortunately, their helicopter crashed over the world’s most active volcano. Two were found just inside the crater and had narrowly missed the boiling lava but it was a struggle to locate Benson due to the toxic clouds.

After two days inside the crater he was rescued. A net was dropped inside the volcano and with very little visibility, the rescuers saved Michael’s life.

Sometimes life can feel like a volcano that’s about to erupt.

In times like this there are a couple of very important things we need to be able to do.

Firstly, to cry out for help to people who can help us. Maybe it means just talking to a close friend but for others it may mean speaking to your doctor, your minister or a professional to help you find your way out to a safer place.

I came across a story about the volcano and what some residents were waking up to find. Amid the stress and destruction, tiny green gems where being found in the yards of the residents.

How amazing is nature. Apparently, it was raining gems.

This is a reminder to each of us that no matter how bad things appear, that if we really look hard we will find something good to hold on to, to get us through.

David wrote in Psalms about this hard time and he cried out to God. He discovered where his help came from, from the maker of heaven and earth, God.

Isaiah 40:28-31 tells us that when we put our hope in Him he will renew us and help us to soar above anything that life would throw at us.

Look for the good (the gems) and look to God.

Yolande and Joel Soper (Salvos -Community of Hope)