Wildfire Prayer

Help us, God! We need your help!
Send rain now! Hold back the wind!
We see people fleeing wildfires;
they grab each other and go, leaving everything,
not knowing if they will ever see their homes again.
The smell of smoke. Ash falling.
The glow of flames devouring the landscape,
every living creature running for dear life.
We are terrified by this fiery power.
Send rain now! Hold back the wind!
Spare our communities, spare our land.
Protect firefighters and emergency workers and police 
who are serving in life threatening conditions.
Give them courage, strength and endurance;
keep them safe as they do their work.
God our refuge, there are many
who don’t know where they will sleep tonight.
Bless all who open their arms and their homes
to help those who need sheltering.
As communities face this crisis,
we need your assurance for the fearful,
your comfort for the bereaved,
your hope for the despairing.
God help us in our time of need,
in ways we can’t even think about yet.
And send rain now!