Action-adventure movies and TV with lots of heroics are a favorite in our house. Life and Death moments that always work out perfectly is how I want life to work itself out. Many, many years ago, I had my own heroic brush with death. It wasn’t quite like the movies, but it is as close as I want to come to living a movie type near death experience.
I was driving back to my apartment in my newly acquired truck, aka Dad’s old truck. Traveling at 55 mph, I heard a whoosh sound and immediately lost acceleration. I quickly started to pull over when I lost the ability to steer. I was able to break and get the truck off to the side of the road. I opened the driver’s side door and flames were coming up around the door. I grabbed my bag and jumped out. A minute later, the truck was engulfed in flames. It was scary and overwhelming to stand there and watch it burn. The pictures remind me how ferocious the fire was.
We all face life and death moments in life whether it is ourselves or a loved one. They often come through illness and accidents. We are left scared, uncertain, and overwhelmed. We start to focus on the “what ifs”. We focus on what might happen in the coming days or weeks rather than staying in the moment. It is in the moment where God meets us and brings us comfort.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. (Psalm 23 NIV).
Psalm 23 is a beautiful reminder that God is always with us even in the darkest valley of life. Staying in the moment and focused on God allows us to sense the comfort God brings. Worry and speculation disrupt the peace. That is not what God wants for us. The hard part is remembering that in the midst of the dark valley. That has always been my struggle. I find it easy to speculate on the possibilities, the tragedy, rather than rest in God’s presence. Restoring my focus on God does refresh my soul and allows me to see what I am facing with new eyes. Life isn’t an action-adventure movie. Life and Death moments journeyed with God bring beauty out of ashes.
How have you learned to journey life’s difficult moments with God? Share you experience here and breathe life and bring hope to others.