Wednesday, August 1, 2012

ON PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WARNING SIGNS...


It was in the fall of 2005 when my wife and I were building our home here in Brownsburg. We had come over to the chalet for lunch and after we finished eating we were going to head back over to the house to do more work. I said to Esther, “Come jump on the four wheeler and I’ll take you over with me.” She said, “No, I need to walk that lunch off!” I said, “Okay! See you there!”

Earlier that morning I had been at the campground cleaning around the yard and noticed that the red plastic cafeteria tray, hanging on the cable that stretched across the driveway, was broken. I had hung the tray there to insure that no one would accidentally drive through the cable. I had removed the broken tray from the cable that morning intending to replace it with a new one. I didn’t get back to it and the cable remained across the driveway without the warning sign!

As I started the four wheeler, I throttled it and took off lickidy-split out the driveway not seeing the cable across my pathway stretching from tree to tree. I recall the violent snap against the fairing/wind shield, ripping it right off the four wheeler and then the ½” steel cable hitting my throat with such force that it violently threw my whole body backward, slamming the back of my neck against the high part of the attached passenger seat. I thought for a moment that I had broken my neck! Because of the momentum, the ATV continued to move forward and I was now pinned to the rear seat with the cable pressing extremely hard against my throat! Immediately the forward force of the ATV literally ripped the ½” eyehook right out of the tree! It all happened in a flash! I am convinced that, had the eyehook not pulled from the tree it would have surely broken my neck! I was in shock when I finally realized what had happened! The Hand of God was on me that day and I’m so thankful Esther had decided to walk instead of ride!

I sat there on the steps of the chalet for awhile, spitting up blood from my throat. I was glad the cable hit me above my “Adam’s Apple” rather than below! Had it hit below, it would have undoubtedly shattered my larynx. 
As Esther realized something was wrong, she came running back to where I was and when she saw what had happened, she began to pray for me in Jesus’ Name. I suffered a severe sore throat for a few days but everything seemed to be okay. Today we mark it down as another “miracle” that saved me that day.

Sometimes it’s the little warnings that prove to be so important. Had the red caution sign been placed back onto the cable, I would have seen it, and avoided the near catastrophe.  All through life there are caution signs that require our undivided attention. If the signs are not maintained and kept in good order, it can cause much havoc. Often it’s the little signs that are most important and it’s so imperative that we pay attention to them. God has built into each one of us subtle warning signs, that if heeded  will save us a lot of harm and heartache. Throughout the Bible, God warned people many times of impending danger. Some listened, others didn’t. It will do us all well to pay attention and watch!

Mark 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

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