It happened again Sunday. I’ve written before about the fact we should thank God in all circumstances—not only those where we can clearly see His blessing, but also those where it seems something bad is happening.
Sharon and I went to our youngest grandson’s graduation from high school over the weekend in New Braunfels, some 240 miles south of here, near San Antonio. Being with family and watching this wonderful young man walk across that stage was a real blessing, but that’s not what I’m writing about here.
Since my daughter’s mother and sister were in from New Orleans for the event, Sharon and I stayed in a nearby motel and let them have the guest bedroom. We get to be there a lot more often than they do, so we thought they should get to be around the family this time.
Sunday morning we got up and got ready for the drive back to Fort Worth. We were on the fifth floor of the motel, so I went down to get one of the luggage carts to haul our stuff out to the car.
Of course, at that hour of the morning, we weren’t the only people trying to leave, so all four of the carts were already in use. I sat down in the lobby to wait for one to be returned. And wait. And wait. Apparently, some thoughtless people grab the carts and take them to their rooms and just keep them while they shower and dress and pack. Or something. Anyhow, after I waited over twenty minutes with none appearing, I gave up and went up to haul our stuff down manually.
Did I mention that I always pack the kitchen sink when I travel? It was only a one night stay, but it took Sharon one trip and me two to get everything down to the lobby. Then, I went to get the car and pull under the port cochere to load the luggage, since it was raining cats and dogs. The net result of all this was that we were about thirty minutes later than we intended to be getting underway.
About twenty or thirty miles down the road, we came to a halt as all three lanes of traffic were bumper to bumper and moving a few feet at a time. After a bit, we could see flashing lights in the road ahead, and we ultimately discovered there had been a wreck, and police and fire vehicles were blocking the two left lanes.
As we passed the blockage and resumed normal freeway speed, it occurred to me that if we hadn’t been delayed we might have arrived at that point just in time to be involved in the accident. I don’t really know what time it happened, but it’s entirely possible God protected us with the delay.
About another hundred miles up the road, we came to another stoppage. We were in Belton, Texas, when the traffic stopped, and I mean stopped. We finally exited to the access road, along with about a million other cars, and inched our way along for miles. At length, we came to a point where all traffic was being forced to exit the interstate and merge onto the access road with us.
A little farther up, all traffic was being forced to detour. Both the freeway and the access road were completely closed. Fortunately, at that point I knew a way to go around the blockage. My route added several miles, but we came back to the highway beyond the problem—an hour and a half later. We discovered when we stopped at a convenience store that there had been horrible wrecks on both sides of the freeway. The southbound lanes were closed also.
Again, I don’t know what time the accident on our side took place, but for all I know, God may have used my delay at the motel to protect me from getting there in time to be involved. As bad as this wreck must have been to close the entire six lanes, I’m sure there were fatalities involved.
In honesty, I can’t say I was thanking God for the delay as we left the motel, but I certainly thanked Him in retrospect. We have no idea what bad things He spares His children from.
What things that seemed bad at the time have you ended up thanking God for?
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If you abide in Me and My word abides in you, then you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.
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For more information about David N. Walker, click the “About” tab above.
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Contact him at dnwalkertx (at) gmail (dot) com or tweet him at @davidnwalkertx.
David N Walker 
David, I’m glad you both were saved possibly by your delay. Your writings must still need to be read. You have great stories to be told still. There’s not enough Christian writings nowadays and yours are, somehow very uplifting. Please keep it up.
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Thanks, Fran. I really appreciate that.
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Hi David, as always, it’s a pleasure to read from you. As we know we serve a Mighty God. He will Always protect His Lamb. I need to tell you, From reading your happenings in your delay, God Was with you. I need to also tell you, when my husband was still with me, we traveled twice a year to his Country, which is Egypt. One year it was 1997, we were to go to Egypt. We always traveled Egypt Air as the tickets were less money, of course, to Egypt. Well, We were to travel on Oct, 30, 1997. My husband booked the flight as Usually for our son and daughter, Him and myself. a week before we were to leave, I got this Overwhelming Feeling telling me Not to go on the flight my husband had booked .I waited two days before the flight to see if this feeling would leave, but it had not. I told my husband about the feeling and told him that I wanted to change Airlines. My husband tried to convince me otherwise, as He did the feeling became stronger. I finally told him, knowing he would not agree that if he wanted to go so be it, but the children and I were Not going. My Husband agreed to change the flight to American Airlines. we were than leaving on Nov 2,1997. The day we were suppose to leave on Egypt air, My husband came into the bathroom as I was in the shower and said these words I will Never forget, “Honey, your Not going to believe what Happen, Egypt Air went Down” I Said to him, “Honey, that’s Not Funny, and he replied, “Honey, i’m serious” I Got out of the shower, The News was on and I was looking at the flight in the Ocean. My Heart Sank as I looked at children’s toys, a Baby Bottle and Luggage and pieces of the Plane in the water and I Just cried, for the Children and people that lost their lives, than tears of Joy to the Lord for saving my family as well as myself. God has saved my life four different times. How can I ever Thank Him. People need to know, when you are saved from any Circumstance it;s for a Reason, God’s Reason. God Bless you David, I’m so Happy God Delayed You and your wife.
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Another powerful story, Rose Marie. Thanks.
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Hi David, Thank You. God has protected me so many times in my life, but yet has not revealed as to why? God has a purpose for all that He does, I just wish He would tell me the importance of why I am Clearly here. Blessings to you and your family.
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That’s one of the best lessons I’ve learned is that God was saving me from something that was going to happen down the road. One of my old boss’s told me that when the boy’s father and I had broken up. She told me that God was saving me from something that was maybe going to happen to him down the road. I live by this advice, and I don’t get to disappointed when something doesn’t pan out the way I want.
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Very wise, Jodie.
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Sounds like your from hell turned out to be a heavenly blessing indeed. It is amazing how hard it is to be thankful at the time frustrations and hurts happen. I can think of many examples in my life also where I was protected in what seemed like terrible circumstances. Nice post, David.
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Thanks, Sis. We never know what’s around the next bend, but God does.
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All I know is that God’s will will be done, and during my life that has proven to be a real blessing, indeed. One of my sister’s could cite an incident which, although extremely hurtful, ended up opening doors for awesome happiness and fulfillment in her life.
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I’m sure we all could, Sharon. Thanks.
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