God, please have mercy on us in these devastating fires.

It has been a long and warm night.

After 46.4 degree Celsius day in Melbourne, the night was not all comfortable to sleep in. Fires have been burning around the state of Victoria. As I woke up on and off during the night, I listened to the radio hearing the escalating situation. I cannot imagine how much more uncomfortable a lot of people are feeling out there.

I heard on the radio that fires kept burning out of control, homes lost, people's lives lost. Urgent threat messages kept popping up on the radio. It was quick, urgent, sudden and scary.

As I slept in my comfortable home, I suddenly felt small. I felt small because I could not imagine how it was like right there at the various fire locations. I felt small because things all happened in such speed.

I heard a lady called up the radio station telling her story: She got a text message from her son in Traralgon being trapped in his house because there was fire burning around his house. She then lost contact. Her other son and his father tried to drive there but the roads were closed. It was not until 4 hours later that he called again saying that he was still holding on. He was able to fight the fire and kept himself safe.

Story likes that makes me feel small. I cannot imagine how fearful and worried that the mother was when she did not hear from her son. I cannot imagine how helpless the father and son was when they tried to get there but could not. Above all, I cannot imagine how it was like to be fighting the fire right there at the scene.

I also heard a story about a family that lost their home. They had to stay in their car on a road during the night because they did not know which road was not closed so that they could drive to somewhere safe.

It is a world that human boasts about the strength and achievement of mankind. This day reminds us that we are all very small in the larger scale of the fierce nature.

On a smaller scale, perhaps at individual level, what happens in the last 24 hours puts things more into perspective for me. Boxing day Tsunami, Sichuan earthquake and today's wild fires in Victoria all make me very humbled and small.

I remembered that all I was worrying about 24 hours ago was how hot it was going to be. Did I think about people in the bush were not worrying about the heat but the high fire danger? Did I think about those people who could be trapped by fires and closed roads?

All my problems seem to pale into insignificance. I also feel helpless. I think about what I can do to help. Perhaps, I can at least pray to God.

Lord, please have mercy on us. Please have mercy on those people that are affected. Lord, I plead to you that you help us all.