Good Morning! - The Grace of an Enemy

Good Morning! - We Should Be Dead

Good Morning! ~ Grace; Not Deserved

Grace and Mercy almost died

The 1993 Explorer a few days before the crash

Read: Job 1:6-12


And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” Job 1:12



I should be dead

I should be dead. The conditions were perfect for someone to die, but God intervened.

My mind’s eye often replays May 13, 1999. A sunny spring picturesque day until skies darken and the windows of heaven opened. Around 4:00 pm, a single cell thunderstorm burst through quickly dumping rain and high winds. Just as fast as the dark skies rolled in, so did a bright sunny day. The soaked roads and rush hour traffic made the conditions perfect for an accident.

While jockeying for space on the highway things changed from bad to worse. In my rear view mirror cars swiftly approached while the cars in front abruptly stopped. In the chaos, one clipped the left bumper of my 1993 Ford Explorer, propelling it into a 360 degree spin over four highway lanes.

It was a twister ride in slow motion but nothing was fun about it. I could see the faces in cars as I glided across each lane. My ride stopped when a van, in the HOV lane, T-boned me into the concrete median.



Grace and Mercy covered me

I should have been dead but it was the Lord that covered me – Grace and Mercy.

At the time of my accident I was going through a transitional period of seeking God and his wisdom. Satan knew it and did not want me to gain that knowledge. Once I realized how much God loved and protected me the life journey became more bearable.

God covers us

The first chapter of Job reminds me regardless how bad a situation may be God got me covered. No matter how much Satan dishes out God always has the final say.

I almost died that day. I never would have made it if God had not intervened. I often ponder what if May 13, 1999 was the day God said, “this day your soul shall be required.” My life as I known it would have ended. What would the world be like?

• Missed the birth of my son – October, 1999
• Preceded my mother in death – July, 2000
• Missed uncovering my purpose – July 2007
• Missed the launch of The Souls Remedy – April 2010
• Missed daughter graduating high school – May 2011
• Missed daughter realizing her purpose – December 2012
• Missed son perform with high school band - May 2013
• Missed song writing debut TheMusic Industry Camp – July 2013

The list can go on…

Count your blessings

I’m a firm believer that no matter how much Satan attempts to attack us God’s word still rings loud and clear. “Behold all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” Once we realize this Satan cannot touch us. We control our destiny provided we stay in the Will of God.

Do you really count your blessings? Being grateful for the little things of life; rising each morning, ability to walk, talk, see, and ear? We know not the day or the hour when our creator will require our souls. Are you ready? Have you given your life to Christ? If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved Romans 10:9-13. And trust God at his word. It’s just that simple.



Prayer

Gracious Father, thank you for life. Thank you for the days given and the days before me. I apologize for taking them for granted because no day is promised. I will begin to praise and thank you for every blessing and day you have in store for me. Thank you for your Grace and Mercy. Amen.

God is Omnipresent at 8 a.m.

Driver walked way from this accident

Parents are over come by fear and emotional turmoil when a telephone ring echoes extremely loud while incredibly close during the darkest hour of a night.  In a split second the mind is consumed with every negative conceivable thought known to man. It is always a blessing as well as a relief to find out all is well or better yet a person had dialed in error the wrong number. 

I firmly believe in the power of prayer.  Most recently my dear friend had a testimony on this area under discussion of phone calls and prayer. Setting the scene: Harold and I always begin our conversation with a positive affirmation; me, asking how he is doing followed by his sincere statement “it’s the best day of my life”, which always brings a smile to my face.  On this night, nothing was any different except this time his tone was concise and clearly expressed.

A testimony is a public declaration regarding a religious experience, which I may add, we never know how God will move or bless a person’s life from such encounters.  There is no rhyme or reason and not to leave out God often times don’t make sense of his decisions.  Harold told me his son was in a terrible accident.  Of course, as a parent, friend, and most importantly a Christian my heart dropped with a hope that all was well.  The infamous call came one Sunday morning at 9 o’clock a.m., with the grim news “your son and three friends were in a terrible accident.”  One cannot imagine the sinking filling which overcomes a person when such calls come be it day or night.  Experiencing a horrid death or illness telephone call is indescribable; the emotions and thoughts which run a mile a second through your mind cannot be explained. Until you personally experience one my commentary will never make sense. Sadly, individuals attempt to pay their respects yet fall short because they don’t know how to address those who are suffering or grieving correctly. It is not until such situations personally knock on their door that they will finally get it. Well this is another article for a later date… 

The bible demonstrates many examples of the power of prayer:  God answering many of Moses' prayers, parting the Red Sea Exodus 14:13-22, God agreed to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if Abraham could find ten righteous people Genesis 18:22-32.  Daniel spent his whole life praying and was ultimately thrown in the lions den because he would not stop praying to God and worship the king. Because he continually prayed God spared him Daniel 6:4-24 God miraculously answered the prayers of the early Christians by sending an angel to free Peter from prison Acts 12:5-10.  In contrast, Jesus prayer at Gethsemane clearly showed him praying if it was possible, the hour might pass from him Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou will Mark 14:32-42. Jesus prayer was not granted. Nevertheless, through out the bible there are countless situations of people praying and God responding. Like wise we are afforded the opportunity of partitioning God directly in prayer.  So, if you don’t get anything else from this testimonial learn how and remember to pray daily. As stated, there is power in prayer…

This brings me back to my friend Harold, who was up praying at 8 o’clock a.m Sunday morning, thanking God for all his blessings, the very same day his son played bumper cars with a concrete median.  Harold went on to say he appealed a special prayer to cover his son that morning.  One can only imagine the feeling of such a conversation when a police officer tells you of an accident.  In this case, thank God, everyone was okay. The officer duly noted, “It was a miracle that everyone walked away with only scratches and shaken nerves considering the entire left side was completely demolished. Our dialog ended with “God is omnipresent he was covering my son at the time I was praying” Stated Harold.  I’m sending you a photo of the car so you can see how great God is…

The lesson learned is to pray without ceasing thanking God and never taking anything for granted.  Will God answer all your request maybe, maybe not the point is to always pray and seek to be in God’s will. And by all means it is always a joyous moment for a parent knowing their child has cheated death during a horrific traffic altercation. Now, besides praying and talking about my friend’s testimony, what makes this story so wondrous, Harold’s son accident occurred at  8 o’clock a.m. the same time Harold was praying!

Tigner Rand