If I
rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even
there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast…when I awake,
I am still with you. Psalm 139:9-10, 18
I had almost reached my interstate exit that
morning. Two more minutes, and I would’ve been on the off ramp, headed to the
college to deliver my first oral presentation in more than two decades. I had
sweated this moment the whole semester! Now the day had arrived, and I couldn’t
imagine anything more terrifying than standing in front of all my classmates
and speaking.
Until…
Ahead of me and to my left, a car started spinning.
Cars in my lane came to an immediate stop. I narrowly missed hitting the bumper
in front of me by inches. I wish I could say the same for the truck and car
directly behind me. The crashing impact reverberated in my mind for weeks
afterwards. But for the next forty-five minutes, I sat on the side of the
interstate waiting for my turn to talk to the police. This was definitely worse
than public speaking.
We have a way of thinking about what we
perceive to be our biggest challenge, and then life happens. Often nothing goes
as planned and tragedies happen—or conversely, unexpected blessings flow our
way. Either way, God is in the midst of both to comfort and encourage us.
If we’re not intentional about our relationship
with God through prayer and Bible study, it’s difficult to rest in the faith
that he’ll come through for us. Even worse, life’s curve balls can make us
cynical. After all, why plan anything if life can derail at any moment? But the
bigger picture shows that God is in every moment, often ahead of us, waiting to
offer assurance of his presence.
My wreck and the aftermath of insurance
claims, my car being totaled, dealing with bureaucracy and then car shopping,
reaffirmed to me that God’s sweet whisper of comfort is a necessity. I remind
myself every time I go through a challenge that, like the Psalmist said, every
day when I awake, I am still with God! He hasn’t left. And he’ll always be
there to see me through the day’s challenges.
Can you think of a better promise to cling
to than that?
Laura Hodges Poole
is a Christian writer with dozens of articles, devotions, and short stories to
her credit. She is the author of five books and contributor to two others, all
available on Amazon. Laura is a 2019 Selah Awards finalist, the
2016 ACWC Badge of Honor winner, a 2014 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist,
and a 2012 RWA Emily finalist. As an editor and member of
The Christian PEN, she enjoys mentoring and helping other writers polish their
work. When she’s not writing, you might find her hiking, playing the piano, or
being crafty. A mother of two, Laura lives in South Carolina with her husband
and son.
Website: https://laurahodgespoole.com/
