Oh, the joy of holding a plastic 3 x 2 inch card with
personal information and a hideous self-portrait. Sitting behind a steering wheel, gear shift
in D, feet in place and seat belt on sends an unexplained rush throughout a
sixteen year old’s body. The time
arrived for you to be in control. No
more passengers watching over your shoulder, critiquing every move or
threatening to cease any opportunity for obtaining a license. The time arrived for you to sit in the driver’s
seat. Push aside all the video games of
virtual driving and hit the pavement joining all others in authentic
driving.
As an amateur, you believe to know everything pertaining to
driving. Any situation can be handled
successfully. Neither help nor advice needed
at any time. Just hand over the keys,
dish out a little gas money and send me on my way! If parents are lucky, you will return by
curfew, right? What is curfew anyway and
who came up with the concept? Laying
your head on a pillow before sunrise should be sufficient, right?
Curfew provides protection.
Nothing good happens late at night.
Drivers become tired, may be returning from a place where not-so-safe
decisions occurred and road/weather conditions may turn dangerous. Curfew does not mean you are a bad driver,
but others and the environment work against the safety of returning home. Some children push limits, staying at
location until last minute allowing for the exact amount of time to return at the
door on the dot. Also, some ignore
forecasts and drive despite warning from educated individuals. CONFESSION:
I fit into both the categories just described. RESULT:
I sped home numerous times taking curves at record speed; I faced roads
covered in snow, ice or puddles of rain.
These decisions found me in a ditch countless times. A few memories remain vivid. . .one time I
took a curve WAY too fast in order to get home in time and my little Ranger
took over, ending the chaos face forward in a ditch perpendicular to the
road. Items flew all over the
vehicle. The only damage – my pride. My phone had no charge, leaving me stranded
at 2:00 AM in the middle of nowhere. I
began walking, ended up hitching a ride from a postman and headed to a gas
station to wake my dad with a phone call in need of rescue. Sad thing is. . .he wasn't surprised, this
scenario occurred before. Another time,
I was a few feet from home, took a curve normal speed BUT the road covered in
snow completely took over the direction of my vehicle. This time was a gradual slide into the
ditch. AGAIN, called upon my dad to come
and rescue.
Never did I damage a vehicle beyond what dad could easily
fix. You could say my driving record
looks pretty ugly. I never lost my
license, dad never denied me the vehicle and I continued to drive the roads to
my best ability coming out of each ditch a stronger driver. Another record of mine looks pretty ugly. .
.decisions made found me in countless ditches.
There exists a time when I felt the power to sit in the driver’s seat
and pushed aside the Spirit’s guidance while joining others in worldly
driving. Immaturity, pride and pain
blocked any nudging from my Father. “I
got this,” I proclaimed. Neither help
nor advice needed at this time. Just lay
the path and send me on my way! I will
be safe, returning to You when I need a prayer.
Sitting in a pew on Sunday should be sufficient, right?
WRONG! I never
accounted for environmental factors, surrounded myself with those making
not-so-safe decisions and followed in the footsteps of lethargic spirits. I sped through curves in life, drove full
force through storms and ignored any warning from my Omniscient Father. But, every ditch I found myself in, no matter
the depth or severity, He rescued me.
Looking back, I see my Omnipresent Father arrived every time. He wasn't surprised, He knew this would
occur; yet, He loved me anyway, pulled me from the ditch, fixed any damage and
set me on my way. Maturing in Christ
slowed me down. I moved from the driver’s
to passenger’s seat. I now place it in
His Hands. From time to time a curve
still sends me in a ditch or a storm takes over my clear vision. Oh, but I know just Who to call for
rescue. Quickly, I turn to Him and He
pulls me out, strengthening me with each occurrence.
Can you relate? God
waits for your call. He wishes to sit in
the driver’s seat. He will guide,
protect and place you exactly where needed at just the right time. Don’t rush ahead of Him. Listen to your Omniscient Father in times of
storm. Choose Him as your Lord and
Savior. No matter the past driving
record. . .as you accept Him and follow Him; He will provide a lifetime license
as a Christian and use you as a vehicle for His light!
Keep praying harder than the devil can work.
Sheree Craig
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