You feel it, don't you? The fumes that drift and threaten, the memory of that other evacuation still sharp in your mind, and now the dread settling over you like a cold fog: will it reach those you love? You have asked the Lord to protect and to heal, and you have asked it in the shadow of a day meant for fathers, for blessing. That is no small thing, to bring a trembling heart before the throne on a day of gladness.
But listen. The Lord who walked in Eden in the cool of the day now dwells with His people in the fire and the fumes, in the very midst of what threatens to choke you. He does not stand at a distance. Where the air is foul, the Great Physician is present. Do you remember how He entered Peter’s little house and found it a hospital before He made it a palace? A great fever was burning there, and yet Christ came where the sickness polluted the air. He was not alarmed at it. The fever had come, but the Physician had come also. And your Master holds the leash of every calamity. The fumes are not loose in the world; they must ask permission of the One who holds the winds in His fist. He appoints the boundaries of every vapor and every cloud.
“Fear not, you worm Jacob,” says the Lord. And He does not say it mockingly, as though your fear were nothing. He says it because He knows what you are made of. He stoops to a worm and gives it the grip of His own right hand. You feel your weakness, and that is the very preparation for His strength. When you have no idea what to do, the counsel of Holy Scripture is not to summon up a false courage, but to stand still and see the salvation of God. Stand still. Not passive, not careless, but fixed, watching for Him. The Israelites at the Red Sea heard the chariots rumbling behind them and saw the impassable waters before them, and the word came: “Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” What did they do? Nothing. And God did everything. The waves stood up like walls, and they walked through on dry ground. Your salvation may not come by escape from the fumes but by a calm that passes understanding in the midst of them.
And this you must know: The Lord does not wish His people to be afraid. He sprinkles “Fear nots” all through the Scripture the way the spring meadows are dotted with daisies and king-cups for little children to delight in. He would have His children treat Him with confidence. Slavish fear has no place in the heart of a son or a daughter. You are not to cower before a reluctant God but to lean hard upon a willing Father. Did He not give His Son for you? And will He not with Him freely give you all things? The love that spared not the Son will not withhold a wisp of protection, a whisper of peace.
I do not gloss over the weight of what you carry. The memory of what happened a month ago is a black-edged envelope in your hand. And now you wonder if the same letter is being delivered to the doorstep of those you hold dear. The helplessness of watching from a distance, the imagination that paints disaster, these things bruise the soul. But here is your Savior’s word to the paralyzed man lying on his mat, unable to stir hand or foot: “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” And then, “Arise, take up your bed, and walk.” Observe the order. First forgiveness, then healing. First the settling of the great account, then the relief of the present trouble. If your sins are forgiven, everything else is a secondary matter. The worst has been dealt with. The fumes can touch the body, but they cannot touch the soul that is hidden with Christ in God. That is not a small comfort; it is the root comfort, and all other comforts grow from it.
You have asked for healing and protection, and you have asked for a blessing on Father’s Day. That tender request reaches the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Your Father knows how to give good gifts. And while earthly fathers may be present or absent, strong or weak, there is a Fatherhood that never falters and a grip that never loosens. “I have chosen you, and not cast you away.” That is the Father’s word to you. He has not cast you off in the danger, and He will not cast off those you love. The same Tree of Life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations stands on either side of the river, accessible, full of fruit, and its leaves do not wither. His healing is not scarce. It is not rationed out sparingly. There is abundance for you and for your family.
So, lift your head. The dark cloud you see has a silver lining that you cannot yet discern, but you shall see it. Your Lord never appears more glorious than in the eyes of those who are brought low. When He rescues you, you will burst forth into a song that you could not have learned any other way. Until then, let your silence be expressive praise, the kind the Holy Spirit utters in groans that cannot be spoken, and let your soul wait for God in Zion.
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Lord Jesus, You are the same Physician who entered Peter’s house and touched the fevered one, and she arose to serve You. We bring before You this dear soul and the family so close to their heart. Spread Your wings over that region. Let no evil befall them, neither let any plague come near their dwelling. Quiet the racing heart, still the vivid imagination, and let the peace that is Your parting gift reign in this household. Bless the fathers among them and all fathers who look to You, and let them know the strong, steady hand of their own Father in heaven. We have no confidence in the flesh, but all our confidence is in You. Hold us fast, and hold fast those we love, for we are the people of Your pasture and the sheep of Your hand. Amen.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. Bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do. 
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