Do you ever have the "what if's"? What if this would have happened, what if I'd said this, what if I did/didn't do that. Let's face it, there are some things we'll never know this side of heaven. Is that a bad thing? I don't think so. The way I see it, that leaves it in God's hands, right where it should be.
I'll tell you a story. When I was in Bible college I was in some bad car accidents coming home on break. The first day we totaled a car on icy roads. The second day the van we were all riding in started on fire and the only thing remaining after was a tire. Could God have stopped those things from happening??? Absolutely. No doubt. Why didn't He?
Let me give you a little more detail. The first day, when we totaled the car, we hit a telephone poll several feet in the air. There were six of us in the car. Each and everyone of us stepped out alive. We had very minor bumps & bruises. How? The police were mystified. Did I mention none of us had seat belts on because they weren't a requirement back then. How is that possible. The second day (there are now 8 of us), the van started on fire while we were riding it in, we realized later that there was gasoline leaking onto the floor of the van the entire time. How do we know this? My purse that had been laying on the floor of the van beside me was cover in gasoline.
You may be saying to yourself right now, "what an amazing story, but I don't think God had anything to do with it." Would it change your mind if you knew that the night before our little trip began, the driver Robin, woke me during the night in tears because she was afraid something was going to happen to us the next day. That we sat and prayed together for God to watch over & protect us.
See God knew what the next day would bring. He allowed us the opportunity to turn it over to Him. To ask Him for protection. I don't want to think what would have happened if we would have ignored Him. I don't for a second think I would be sitting here typing this now.
So maybe now your thinking "ok God did save them, but why did He let it happen at all?" Good question. Your so smart! So let's go back to the beginning....Could God have stopped those things from happening??? Absolutely. Why didn't He? He had a plan. (Oh and He has GREAT plans!) See, my story isn't done yet.....
When I got back to college after break, I went to the nursing home ministry like I did every Tuesday. This particular day I had the opportunity to speak with one of the patients who didn't want anything to do with God. The accidents and the hand of God was so fresh to me. As we spoke, I began to tell him the story. As I did, with tears flowing down my face, he just sat there expressionless. He listened, and when it was done and time for me to go, he thanked me and said goodbye. The next day the nursing home called the college to let the nursing home team know that he had passed away. I was heartbroken. An opportunity to finally spend time with him, to tell him more about God's saving love had opened, and now he's gone. I would never get to tell him about salvation.
The following week when we went back to the nursing home, I was upset about his passing and crying. I wandered the halls while the others ministered, wondering what if. After a while a nurse saw me and asked if she could talk to me. She asked me if I was the girl that had spoke to him the week before. I said I was. She then told me how after I left, he told the story to her about the accidents and how God saved us. That night, after I left, he gave his life to God.
God still allowed the car accidents to happen, but for our good and His glory. We came away with a greater love for God, a greater faith in Him. And if it was for no other reason but for one man to be saved, it was worth it all! That's the kind of love God has. Don't turn Him away!
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