This past week Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge in Olympic National Park burned to the ground.
This is so sad!
My family and I have many happy memories at the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge! In fact, we were just up there last September. It was late in the day, just before sunset. Few visitors were up there, that late in the season and that late in the day, so we basically had the whole place to ourselves.
We hiked high up on the ridge overlooking the Lodge … laughing and joking all along the way!
A gorgeous moon was just barely visible, hovering above the Olympic Mountains, which fellow-visitors (who were photography enthusiasts) pointed out to us.
We enjoyed a delightful dinner picnic on the back veranda of the Lodge … such wonderful memories!
And now it’s all gone … burned to the ground.
And yet … there remains …
There remains many warm wonderful memories!
There remains the close family bonds we built together … moment by moment … over the many years … spending time together at Hurricane Ridge. Picnicking together, laughing together, hiking together, oogling at the deer together, gazing out over the majestic views together, making jokes together, taking innumerable photos of summer alpine wildflowers together, etc.
So much remains!
Intangible. But very real nonetheless.
In much the same way, one day everything we’ve done in our lifetime will be tried by fire … everything we’ve spent our life working to accomplish. All our effort. It’s all going to be burned up.
“Each person’s work will be shown for what it is, because the Day [of Judgment] will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” – 1 Corinthians 3:13-15
When your life comes to an end and you stand before God, your Creator … and everything you’ve spent your life doing and accomplishing is tried by fire … what will remain?
The Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge was just a building. It’s not the building that matters … but the people who were touched and inspired by their visit there.
In the same way, it’s not our accumulated stuff of this life that matters. It’s not the affirmation and praise we receive from others. But the people whom God has called and commissioned us to love and serve.
People … whom God has called us to encourage and strengthen.
People … whom God has commanded us to help and support.
People … whom God has commissioned us to share the good news of Jesus with.
One day everything we’ve done in our lifetime will be tried by fire … it will all be burned up! What will remain?
