Feb 12, 2014
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you; and when you pass
through the rivers, they will not sweep
over you. When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned…Isaiah 43:2
On Wednesday, February 12th, I drove from home to our church office for a meeting. The drive took me fifteen minutes. I arrived at 12:25 p.m., knowing that the weather forecasters were calling for a significant storm to hit our area around 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. that afternoon. When I entered the office building, the air outside was icy cold, the sky was heavily overcast, but no ice or snow was falling.
Without giving the weather another thought, I attended the meeting for thirty minutes, then left. But when I walked out the door, I was dismayed to discover that snow was pouring down and everything, including the roads, was already solid white.
I pulled out of the parking lot, onto the street, and sensed I might be in trouble. I was very grateful I had left when I had, and was sure I would be able to get home before the full brunt of the storm hit. I was wrong.
When I turned onto the main highway that goes past the area where our church is located, the ten lanes were in gridlock. Until the road turned into four lanes, I moved so slowly it took me one full hour to go less than one half mile. The rest of the journey home was a nightmare of pouring snow, hundreds of abandoned and wrecked cars, jack-knifed trucks, accidents happening in front of my eyes at a dizzying pace, and dozens of people giving up and walking beside the road. Again and again, the line of cars I was in had to wait until stalled or wrecked vehicles could be pushed aside to clear a path for the cars still able to move in the deepening snow and ice. I stayed in that line. [For a picture of just one section that I drove through, go to: http://www.wral.com/-oh-my-gosh-raleigh-woman-s-snow-photo-goes-viral/13390109/]
With my car at a standstill for thirty minutes or more at a time, I almost panicked at first. But then I became very aware of God’s presence in the car with me. Peace flooded my heart. I knew God was going to get me through all the wrecks, stranded cars, snow, and ice. Safely. Home. With my car intact. So I began to praise Him for His faithfulness to see me through…And He did! Almost four hours after leaving the church office, I pulled safely into my garage, shaking like a leaf, but with great joy in what I knew was His deliverance.
And then He seemed to whisper, Anne, sometimes life is mayhem. Disaster City. Problems, pain, crises, obstacles, diseases, disappointments, battles, and brokenness can litter your path. But if you put your trust in Me, I will lead you through all of the mess. Safely. Home. With your faith and relationship with Me intact. I love you!
So I am praising Him for His faithfulness to see me through…
Sincerely,
