Monday, March 22, 2010

My Life In God's Hand

I am going to split today’s devotion, due to the length, over the week. Aren’t you glad that I didn’t give you devotion that long!
     This weekend God blessed me in a way that I will never forget! Friday nights are a time we try to sit aside to play cards with my mother and step father. Due to my step father’s age and health, these are nights we do not take for granted. I usually pull into the garage, close the garage door, go out the entrance door, and down the sidewalk to my house. I change clothes, see the dogs, and then go over to my mother’s home. They live in an apartment on the backside of the garage, so it is not far! lol. However, Friday night I was bringing home some pizza for dinner (light pizza of course), so, I was going straight to my mom’s. I pulled into the garage, closed the garage door and went to her house through the garage. We had dinner and began our night of cards. Around eleven o'clock, I was getting a headache. I debated whether I should go to my car and get some Migraine Excedrin or just wait and get it later on my way home. I talked myself into going to the car between games because I didn't want my headache to keep growing. I got the pills out of my car, closed the car door, and started walking to the other side of the garage to door into my mother’s home. About half way there, I thought my world was ending. I heard a huge indescribable sound consisting of breaking glass, echoing thuds, and clanking metal. I turned around so quickly, I think I actually got whip lash in my neck. I remember processing the moment as if the clock was ticking in slow motion. I let a huge scream escape out of my mouth. Then silence . . . as the shock my eyes was translating the scene to my mind. The shelves that ran over the entrance door I walk through several times a day decided, after four years of service, to detach themselves from the walls. By this time my caring husband was standing next to me; reporting to duty from my screaming reverie call. After telling him about the shelves and pointing in the direction of the disaster, he gave me the courage to walk around my car and take in the sight before my eyes. To me it was so heart wrenching, I was numb when I was shown the new dent on my car from the flying 2x4. It was more than I could deal with at that moment, so I went back into my mother's and tried to clear my thoughts by finishing our card game.
     The experienced consumed me: not just my mind but my entire body. The adrenalin rush made my body quiver and my hands shake for hours. My mind was filled with thoughts, I will be sharing the rest of the week.  However, the first thought was how God had just spared my life. We often talk about guardian angels. I always laugh and say how my angel has to work double shifts and has to work double hard. I definitely know I am a challenge to my angel! Seriously, I do not know if I truly believe in angels assigned to individuals to guard them, but if there are, I am positive they would not want any praise for themselves. Their purpose is to praise God, and we should follow in their heavenly shoes. They are only tools of God's hands. All I know for sure is that if I had gotten my Excedrin on my way home, I would have been standing under those shelves when they broke. I have no idea what the outcome would be for me enduring the impact of extremely heavy tubs but I do know it is something I would not want to experience. For four years, we have walked under those shelves daily. Yet, at the exact moment they were going to break, God orchestrated my absence from their impact. It humbles me and reassures me that God still has a purpose for me.
    I struggle to find the words to describe my heart towards God and His provision. But you know I will try! As I process this experience, I am reminded of several principles of God's sovereignty. To begin with, I was reminded that my life is in God's hands. He can take it or protect it as His plan for my life is played out. It can happen in a moment, without any warning. I need to live a life of no regrets, prepared and ready to meet my Savior face to face.
     How long has it been since you recognized God's miraculous hand in your life? Do you trust God for His will for your life? Do you trust Him with your death as well as your life? Do you live a life without regrets, ready and prepared to stand before God? As followers of Jesus Christ, we cannot lose. If God spares our life, we get more time with those we love and more time to serve Him. If our life comes to an end, we get to start our eternity in the presence of our God and our Savior! It is a win / win situation!

In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
Job 12:10

4 comments:

Steph said...

Wow that would be a scary experience and like you I would have to leave the scene to gather my thoughts and calm down and return later to asses the damage.
I do trust God in my life and know that he will take care of me and is with me every breath. But at the same time the thought of dying kind of scares me. I don't know why. I have been told that it means that I am not trusting him fully. I have really been working on this for a long time.

Mrs. T. said...

That guardian angel was watching over all of you. Thank God it didn't fall while your parents were near it. I'm so glad you are ok. You had a angel when you tangled with your tread mill also. Thank you Lord for watching out for Tonya.

Sherry said...

I am very thankful that God protected you!

kathleen said...

TONYA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am just now reading your blog for this week and after having a chat with you earlier today and knowing nothing about the shelves falling, I am SO THANKFUL that you were protected from being hurt !!!!!!!!!! Definitely God's angels were watching over you. Even after my tumble on the floor of my kitchen and badly hurting my arm a month ago, I still know that God cares for me, kept me from more than I could handle, sent His angels to comfort me and protect me and brought people into my path that helped me in so many ways. My healing is totally in His hands and I trust Him with the timing and manner. I have learned that my husband cares for me in ways I never realized, I need to slow down, I can trust other people to assist me and to LET them.
Mostly I learned GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME and I will thank Him and Praise Him all the time because even when I'm not watching where I am going , HE is !!!!!!!