As we enter this season of Lent, I have come to reflect on the words of the hymn, “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand.” The first verse of this hymn says that time is filled with swift transition. On the morning of February 18, 2023, I came to better understand the meaning of that verse.
That morning, the apartment two doors down from me burst into flames before sunrise. Within mere minutes, fire was billowing out of the windows, and deadly smoke filled the hallway, stairwells, and my 7th floor apartment. At this moment, I was trapped between smoke, fire, and a seven-story descent to the ground below. For the next 2 hours, I was trapped on my balcony watching flames grow bigger and brighter. Through all of this, I knew God’s unchanging hand of protection was with me.
Life is filled with swift transitional moments like the one I encountered, and it reiterated why you must always hold on to God’s unchanging hand. Thankfully, I was unharmed and incurred minor damages, but while I waited on first responders, God’s unchanging hand was all I had. When situations are uncertain, life seems to be unbearable, and you have no clear view into the future, God’s unchanging hand will guide you every time. When you trust and believe, you will not be forgotten, and you will never be alone. As seasons change, life happens, and days turn to night, God will always be there to lend his unchanging hand.
Anthony Pegues
Links to the appointed readings and prayer for today:
