Accidents that Never Happen This Instant!

It was dark out. Cold, wet, dreary. A typical January evening in Portland. It was also my dear friend’s bachelorette party clear across town. I didn’t have to go, but I did have to get out of the house. That much was screaming at me. So, I got into my car, fired up the engine, and backed out of the garage. Just like I’ve done hundreds of times before.

But tonight was different. Like I said, it was dark out. And my token glance in the review mirror didn’t alert me that anything was unusual. Intuition typically works in my favor, but tonight it was hibernating.

My driveway is short but steep. It intersects a narrow street between townhouse units. There is no parking allowed on that street. At least that’s what the red curbs are supposed to mean.

I flew down the driveway, cranking the steering wheel so that the rear of my car would angle to the right. As I came to a full and complete stop, about to turn the wheel to the left to straighten out my car, I casually glanced out my driver’s side window. And there, not more than an inch outside my door sat the hood of a pristine gray Mazda. I froze and stared. My heart rate skyrocketed. The car just sat there empty and still, innocently looking at me and asking, “What?”

My mind reeled. Deafening silence encompassed my vehicle. Had I been just centimeters off milliseconds earlier, my ears would now be ringing from a sickening crunch. But instead I sat in safety, only a breath away from an accident that would’ve sucker-punched my pocketbook and beat up my mental wellbeing.

How many times have you been spared the worst? How many times have you looked out your window to see the reality of God’s protection staring you in the face? Maybe you don’t know ... but the fact is that you are here today in one piece. Knowingly or not, time after time, maybe God has guarded your steps down to the inch. Is your present condition enough to prompt praises to the God who has spared you from accidents that have never happened? Are your lips poised to praise Him?

“Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.” Proverbs 3:23

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” Hebrews 13:15