Crash

Crash!

Ps 20:1” God answer you on the day you crash, the name God-of-Jacob put you out of harm's reach.”

“Football isn't a contact sport, it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.” Duffy Daugherty

It has been a taxing day. All day trying to arrange where my mother with dementia and a broken leg is going to stay. The nursing home where she has been residing informed us that she has peaked in her treatment. Therefore Medicare will no longer pay for her stay. She has to be discharged in less than a week. Can someone say “Crash?” I am scrambling now mentally to see what nursing facility will take her.

Kim was working and dinner was going to be late if we cooked, so we decided to go out. It was a nice, cool fall night. We went out to one of the better local diners in Allentown called The Trivet. You always see a lot of seasoned citizens at this diner. That always means two things: the food is good and the prices are cheap.

Traveling home after dinner, the boys were fooling around speaking in Irish brogues to Russian accents. I have no Idea how that started, but it has become something they do all the time and it is hilarious. We tried to pass Josh Early Candies but ended up trying some of their scrumptious chocolate which we did not need. Then we got back on the road to settle down at home.

While traveling down Route 22-- and we usually take the back way off the 15^th street exit. It seems the traffic really slows down with lots of brake lights, so this has become a consistent option. I drive down the ramp, and I am now sitting at the light. I am now looking ahead at LA Fitness which has become my second home. After tonight’s meal my thoughts turn about how I will pay for this meal a second time at the gym tomorrow.

While we were sitting at the light a little red car was traveling in front of us and the black truck acted as if he did not see him. CRASH! He hit the car so hard he drove him right into our front bumper. Those guys in the red car were not wearing seat belts. My family is fine. We were not hit that hard, we just stopped them from moving any further. But the view from my driver’s seat is not pretty. There are two young men in their thirties. Their heads and face left holes in the windshield. They were bleeding badly and in shock. I jump out of the car and called 911. I approach the car on the passenger’s side and I tell them everything will be alright.

They speak Arabic, so they cannot be communicated with easily. The man on the driver’s side is out cold. The passenger hands me a cell phone and want me to call someone. Right then a lady who declared she was a twenty-year paramedic showed up. Concerned about further injury, she instructed me to restrain them and put my hand on his neck. The man in the car motions for something to clean his face with because of the blood. He has glass in his face and in his eye. Josiah took off his shirt and put his coat over his bare chest and we gave the shirt to the man. Well, what a scene.

Daniel and Samuel and I were speaking of how many people it takes to clean up a crash scene. The State Police, ambulance, tow trucks, fire trucks, and people with great concern who act in compassion though they have no official capacity. We travel home shaken but fine.

Sometimes there are crashes and collisions in life. Life sometime is like football and sometimes like dancing. Sometimes you make contacts other times you make collisions. Situations often collide with our life, other people and circumstances. I felt that day as if I had been in several crashes and all of someone else’s doing. Sometimes life and situations come barreling into your driver’s lane. Sometimes you are the one that causes the accident, but ultimately God is in control and keeps us from ultimate harm. If we are hurt physically, nothing can touch us spiritually. Family crashes, relationship crashes, financial crashes and emotional crashes. Sometime you cause them, sometimes they collide with you. As one sports commentator, Howard Cosell, used to say, “Sometimes you eat the bear, sometime the bear eats you.”

What do you do when you see a crash or you are in one?

You call 911. When I called 911, I knew someone would come. We have a great infrastructure in Pennsylvania. I called and they came. Imagine that! I did not even know that 911 operator and they sent help anyway.

What about your spiritual 911? You dial and the voice on the other end, says, “Hello, this is heaven, please state your emergency….Jesus, Father! This is Mike we were in a crash, can you send help? “We will be right there, just make everyone comfortable.” I weep when I write this. I need some help right now. I can hear the sirens coming. Jesus is driving the ambulance. The angels in the police cars, fire trucks and tow trucks. The angels say, “Don’t worry, we will help you clean up this mess!” Jesus jumps out of the truck and grabs me, holds me and says, “You ok, Mike? It’s alright, I’m here now!” Peace just floods over me, the injuries don’t seem so bad and I have hope. Wait, this crash was my fault! You might say. Someone might say, “They ran into me, it was not my fault.” No matter, the same first responders come no matter whose fault it was. They are called accidents for a reason. Thank you Lord for coming to help me when I call to you in prayer.

My prayer is the same for you today ” God answer you on the day you crash, the name God-of-Jacob put you out of harm's reach.” Ps 20:1

“When we have trouble, we should develop the habit of running to God instead of to people. We should seek God rather than our own minds or other people's minds. Ask yourself, "When trouble comes, do I run to the phone or to the throne?" God might direct us to a person for advice, but we should always go to Him first to show that we honor and trust Him above all else.”

Also, be a first responder. Be there to help while people wait for their help to come. Wipe away the blood, dry the tears and keep them from hurting themselves any further. You may actually be the answer they prayed for.