Short, Sweet, and Personal

On Sunday, my wife and I drove nearly three hours to attend a wedding.  The drive there was issue-free and we were set to go to the wedding, enjoy the reception, and be back home in time for a good night's sleep.  However, due to the frustrating and moody personalities of cars, particularly if they are driven by my wife on a regular basis, our plans were changed and we soon found ourselves worried if we would make it home at all.

The car was intensely overheating and going through coolant like proctologists go through rubber gloves.  And, similarly, I was frustrated and scared because it was cold and the lingering smells were a far cry from three-star restaurant quality.  As we left the reception, I poured two full jugs of coolant into the car in hopes of getting at least close to home.  We made it five miles before the car overheated to the point of missing shifts, etc.

Still over 100 miles away from home, panic began its slow creep.  My wife and I began a cycle of worry and comfort, in which she would worry and I would comfort until the roles switched.  This went on for a few more stops.  We stopped about every five miles to refill the radiator with a mixture of coolant and gas station water.  Things were not looking well.

However, amidst the worry, I remember that the Lord is always in control.  He is sovereign, good, and cares for those who earnestly seek Him.  I prayed and I prayed some more.  We made one more stop in which my sister called and reminded us our parents had gotten us AAA memberships and that they would tow us up to 100 miles for free.   Oh the joy!

God has a funny way of working.  Stuns me.  He had orchestrated the whole thing.  To be sure, there was no extravagant adventure to speak of, and no exceptional story of escapades and heros.  Just a God who holds all things in His hands and, for some mysterious purpose, has chosen to bestow grace on His children.  Today that grace came in the form of a great wedding, a AAA membership thanks to my parents, and a 100-mile conversation with David the tow-truck driver.  Thank you again Lord for being who You are and never leaving me out in the cold!  All in a day's being for an eternal Holy God...