The Burning Pole

From Sundy:

I have a story to tell about the other day, but before I do, I wanted to post a related story that I wrote several years ago. For me, it marks the first time in my life of knowing beyond a doubt that God has me (and each of us) in His arms -- always. It is the beginning of my faith.

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This really happened....

Many years ago, when I was still married to my first husband and had only two small children, my husband and I decided to go out for the evening. It was 4th of July weekend, we were young marrieds, and we had a babysitter! Grandmas are so nice that way. :)

So we invited another couple along and started to make the 90 minute car trip to "the big city." We were all laughing and talking, having a wonderful time. The two guys were up front, talking "guy talk," and we two girls were in the back (our choice), giggling up a storm.

Suddenly the little car started to slow down until we were traveling about 40 mph on the highway. "Look at that!" my husband says, pointing at something outside. We looked out the window and saw a tall telephone pole completely consumed in flames. It was a scary-- but awesome-- sight! Flames licking up into the sky...weird.

My husband said, "Well, it looks like someone already called it in." And sure enough, the flashing lights of emergency vehicles began to appear on the horizon, headed toward this column of fire. So we continued on our journey delayed by only a few seconds by this interesting sight.

We took our exit and began traveling down a ten-mile strip of road that was one lane each way. Suddenly a truck coming from the other direction struck the car right in front of us head-on! My husband had to slam on the brakes and swerve to avoid hitting it ourselves.

The little red car in front of us was spun around and stopped in its tracks-- while the truck that hit it reversed gears and sped away. We leaped out of the car to help the people that had been hurt in the accident, put out flares, call for EMS, etc.

All the while, the other girl and I were realizing that it could have-- WOULD have-- been US in this accident....if we hadn't slowed down for a few seconds to watch the burning telephone pole. The guys in the front seat were wearing seat belts, but we girls in the back were not. We would have been seriously hurt or killed.

It all turned out well, fortunately. The driver and the front seat passenger came out with minor injuries, and the girl in the back seat was a little more hurt (broken arm)...but she eventually recovered. She was wearing a seat belt.

What is the point of telling this story? I firmly believe that it was God at work. That burning telephone pole was more than an interesting sight...it was a message, not just for that moment, but for the rest of my life.

Talk about a burning bush! We were saved by just a few seconds from a serious accident. It was a bad situation, but it would have been much much worse if it had been us, due to us not wearing seat belts. Instead of slight injuries, people would have died or been more seriously hurt.

How many people get to directly KNOW that kind of information? How many times have I been delayed in driving to work because of something beyond my control? How many times did being delayed actually save my life or someone else's because of a missed event in time? How many times have I cried out to God, "WHY is this happening to me?" And then discover later (sometimes years after the fact) that those "bad times" were exactly what I needed to help me grow?

God has it ALL in control...and He knows every curve and climb and loop-de-loop in the design of each and every one of our lives. Even if our part of the journey feels AWFUL to us at the moment that we're in it, God is still there with us, holding us. What God has given us to help in our individual situations is always exactly what we need -- if we ask Him....maybe not always what we WANT, but always what we need.