Rejoicing Under Fire

In June of 2013 Janice and I completed our last trip together. We drove on the Interstate that runs through Colorado Springs, Colorado. Long before we get there the traffic had grown to a crawl. We learned that we were driving right through a wild fire. We got there and tried to get a hotel room. Cheap me, on my first inquiry I thought the price was too high. The clerk warned me as I turned to leave that this room was the only one left anywhere. It seems that all the people displaced by the fire had filled all the rooms. I took the room!
   
The fire burned 14,280 acres or 22.3 sq. miles. 509 homes were destroyed and 2 people died. The fire fighting planes flew over the hotel and interstate and the hotel hallways and lobby smelled strongly of smoke.
   
I can just imagine how distressed the homeowners were to be forced to leave their homes and returned to find them destroyed. Talk about, "tried by fire".  Peter spoke of a more significant trial in 1 Peter 1:6-7, "In this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire may be found to result in praise an glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Christians are to rejoice in your trials because it results in praise, glory and honor to Jesus!