Yesterday my friend Kim said she felt an urgent need to pray as she passed by her local firehouse in Boston on her way to work. Not unusual for my friend because she strives to be in “prayer-mode” most of the time…but she hadn’t seen the news yet about the 9 Charleston (SC) firefighters who were killed fighting a fire. Something impelled her to be specific in her prayers right at that moment.

While not realizing it, Kim was joining with thousands of people who are praying for the firefighters, their families, co-workers and friends. To me, prayer is the only thing in times like this that makes me feel I am actually doing something to help, to comfort, to contribute. Even better is to know that I am adding my mental “voice” to a chorus of thousands who are reaching out to the Divine to feel that grace that serves to lift heavy hearts.

Can you think of any other daily job that requires you to put your life on the line every time you go to work? For First Responders this is the primary purpose: to rush into danger, when everyone else is running away. How do they do that? Think about the qualities required to perform their job: courage, fearlessness and, best of all, selflessness. To put another’s welfare above your own is the ultimate proof of selflessness.

These qualities are spiritual and show to me the firefighters’ deep and unbreakable relationship with the divine Spirit. This relationship was secure before the fire and most definitely secure now.

There is a story in the Bible about a man who also ran to meet danger when under attack. David was the only soldier in King Saul’s army who volunteered to fight Goliath, the leader of the Philistines. He said he could do it because of his unconditional trust that God would deliver him.

Not only did he run to meet Goliath ALONE, he did it without any of the standard armor of the day. Oh yeah, Saul put it on him but David said he hadn’t “proven” it — and he didn’t trust what he hadn’t proven. So David rushed to battle with a slingshot and his total trust in God. His spiritual armor of courage, fearlessness, selflessness and faith in God was enough.

I think of the Charlston firefighters as present-day Davids. They rushed forth with their spiritual armor on to fight the Goliath of fear, destruction and death. In my heart I know they were victorious, as they are as safe now as they always have been, their spiritual armor intact -- their spiritual identities intact --  and protecting them right where they are.

So this is my prayer for the firefighters…thank you Father-Mother God for keeping them safe in your hands no matter what the material picture describes to all of us. Thank you for giving them the strength and trust to fight the battles on behalf of all of us, and thank you for loving them so much that is all they know and feel right at this moment.

Read more from this blogger at Practical Spirituality .