Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Radical Protection


As I walked out of the Primary Sabbath School class room that we had been sleeping in, I felt impressed that I should read my Bible before I left for the trip back to Tennessee.  I shrugged it off, thinking “I don’t have time.”  Again, I felt impressed I really needed to read my Bible.  I decided I would listen to the Bible being read while I was on the road.

An hour or so later found me driving and listening to the beautiful Psalms and meditating upon God’s Word as well as a Biblical principle that I hope to write about later.  After eating some finger food for breakfast, I decided to listen to some music.  For some reason I felt drawn to an album of scripture songs entitled “Radical Protection”.  The verses included “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him and delivereth them.”  “God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble”.  “Fear not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee Yes I will help thee, I will uphold thee with my righteous right hand.”  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth iin thee.  Trust in the Lord forever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.”  I didn’t realize the significance of those verses at the moment but I soon would.

The trip had went uneventfully, and I was making really good time, not a lot of traffic.  I had been on the Interstate for maybe about an hour at the most, when I drove off an overpass, hit black ice, and lost control of my car.  It all happened so fast!  Before I knew what was happening to me, I was facing the guard rail separating the lane I was in from the left lanes and oncoming traffic.  “God help me!”  I prayed, as I thought “This is it!  I’m going to be in a terrible accident!"  But my car swung over to the opposite side, almost off the road, but them back to the other side, until it landed perpendicular to the road, hitting the guard rail.  I have never been so thankful to crash!  It meant stopping from fishtailing back and forth!  It meant the end – but a good end, I had not hit anyone, and I was alive and completely unharmed!

As I reflect on this experience, I can see now why God wanted me to be in His Word especially this morning, and why He lead me to listen to the scripture songs about the angel of the Lord delivering them that fear Him.  December 31st 2013 could have been the end for me!  But I am so thankful that God is not finished with me yet!

As I go into the new year – 2014 – I am reminded that there is an enemy who would like nothing less than to destroy God’s remnant people seeking to serve Him with their whole heart!  I feel the need for God’s protection and guidance more than ever before.  The question that I am left to ponder, is how faithful am I being?  Am I listening to the nudge of the Holy Spirit and taking that time to spend in God’s Word and in prayer?  If my end was near would I be ready?  Would the example I left behind for others be one that I would not be ashamed of?

May God surround each one of us with His radical protection – both spiritual and physical – throughout this new year! 

1 comment:

  1. My experience (of a car accident), plus the records of the experiences of others (especially yours), help me to know how much Satan hates us and wants to destroy us. Oh, we do so much need the radical protection of Christ to protect us spiritually and physically. Thank you for sharing your experience and the lessons that you learned from it. May God bless you!

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