May 8 – “Fire call irony”

Yesterday was the National Day of Prayer.  In Galveston that meant a gathering of folks on the front steps of the Criminal Justice Center.  I thought the meeting was to be at the old courthouse downtown, but when no one else was there by five minutes to noon, I knew I was at the wrong place.  I did make it to the correct site in plenty of time, though.  You can get pretty much anywhere on the Island in ten or fifteen minutes.

I do have one strong memory of this particular site.  Several years ago I attended another National Day of Prayer celebration there.  As I arrived I turned off my phone and entered into the spirit of the occasion.  An hour later, when I turned my phone back on, I saw that Chris had called and even left a message to call her back right away.  I made that call from the car on my way home.  Seems Mom had collapsed in the bathtub and the fire department was already there.  Sure enough, when I pulled up they were loading her into the ambulance.  Chris had managed to connect with Nathan and he got the squad over there.  Mom had stopped breathing at least for a time.  She recovered from that one.  Pretty scary stuff, though.

The mayor was there, proclaiming the day official.  Some local pastors led in prayer, as did one police officer.  Lots of sheriff deputies were scattered throughout the crowd, not for security, but because they were there to join in.  I stopped counting at 150 people, so it was a good turnout.  Prayers went up for our national government, our military, our state and local leaders, racial reconciliation, students, police officers.  They prayed for everybody … except fire fighters and paramedics.  Felt kind of strange, too, since I was in my chaplain gear.  I’m sure it was just an oversight, nothing intentional or political going on.  But I thought it was ironic that right in the middle of the whole thing, just as I began to realize that fire fighters had been missed, station five, which is right in front of the criminal justice center, got a call.  As the engine pulled away, I followed my usual protocol.  I focused on the siren and did some praying of my own.  Gotta keep our guys lifted up there before the Lord. 

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.”

Father, thank you for all the folks who came out to spend time praying.  Hear our prayers.  We could all sure use the help.  Amen.