I Shouldn't Be Alive

Once in a blue moon, the kids will watch a TV show called I Shouldn’t Be Alive.  Occasionally, I get sucked into the plot, as people endure some horrific accidents, only to emerge from the impossible situations, alive and well. 

The program lasts an hour - minus commercials.  So, in actuality, it’s probably only about 45 minutes.  But, because of its length, you can imagine the detail with which the writers go to keep the audience attentive.   They quickly draw you in by causing you to “know” the person or people involved.  You “become acquainted” with someone you’ve never met...and then something tragic occurs.  Well, of course, you’ve got to watch the rest of the show to see what happens to your new-found friend! 

There’s just something so captivating about someone being in a near-death experience and then being able to beat the odds and remain alive.  It always makes me think of how thankful these people need to be to the Lord for sparing them - for giving them one more chance to find Him.  For the most part, though, you don’t hear a lot of them talking about how God led their rescuers to find them, or how God gave them the strength to pull themselves along the desert floor, until they could reach the safety of their plane wreckage.  Most of the time, you just hear them speak of their strong desire to never give up, and their decision to fight for their lives, until the end.

Well, can I just say, as I thought about my own life the other morning, I realized their were many times that I, too, was in a life-threatening situation and lived to tell about it.  At those times, Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” was so very evident!  Whether it was the time our family car rolled off an embankment and tumbled into the water or the time a pack of wild dogs came to visit my brother and me in the field, there have definitely been times in my life that were very questionable as to whether or not I would survive.  Yet “Somehow,” I did - without a scratch! 

Thinking about those instances in particular, made me think of a few more times the hand of God had been evident in my early life.  I thought about God’s protection and how I could see His plan for my life at those moments - how I could picture Him saying, “Enough” or “Leave her alone,” and instantly, my circumstances obeyed His every command.

I thought long and hard about those things...and I was thankful and humbled at the thought of His preciousness towards me. 

And then, I began to think about other times - times when I didn’t emerge from my “accidents” unscathed - times when Jeremiah 29:11 didn’t look so obvious - when it seemed that everything that could have gone wrong, did.  But you know, something about remembering God’s plan in days’ past - remembering just how “in control” I had seen Him be - made me think more confidently about His plans in days’ present.  It assured me that in those hard times, His control didn’t lessen.  His protective nature wasn’t dulled towards me.  Instead, His provision remained constant and the times when He didn’t command my circumstances to “Stop,” His plan - His perfect plan - just looked a little bit different than what I expected.

Thank You, Lord, for Your plan for me - for Your saving graces on the days I knew I was in a fight for my life, and even on the days I didn’t.  Thank You for Your control over my circumstances and their obedience to Your will.  Thank You that I can trust You to see what needs to happen in my life - and in me - in order to make me more like You.  Help me, Lord, to remember Your plan...Your design for my life...when the days get hard and situations seem insurmountable.  I praise You, Lord.  Praise You, Jesus.

“For God causes all things to work together for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose,”  (Romans 8:28).