Friends
My heart is heavy this morning for all those on the East Coast who have been impacted by hurricane damage and flooding, especially those in western North Carolina and the Upstate of South Carolina. Special prayers go out to all those without power and water, including much of my extended family in SC and my dear parents. I pray that power will be restored soon. Lifting up prayers of comfort and support for all those who have lost so much. It’s heartbreaking!
Friends, I wrote this post early last week, long before the hurricane was even on my radar. It’s about an unexpected moment in Theodore Roosevelt National Park on our first western road trip in 2018. Eric and I have told this story many times for the humor of it, but as I recalled it again this week, I recognized a spiritual perspective I had not considered before. While this story offers a perspective we all need to hear, I am thinking it may be especially meaningful for those of you impacted by this horrific storm.
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“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”
Psalm 34:4 – NIV
We had been on the road for several weeks when we rolled up to the gate of Theodore Roosevelt National Park located near the western border of North Dakota. It was our first cross country road trip in September of 2018, and Eric and I had aptly labeled it our “Epic Adventure.” We had not purchased the RV at that point, so we were traveling in Eric’s Ford F-150 truck and staying in hotels. This was our first visit to a National Park in the western states, and I was practically giddy with excitement.
The park did not disappoint. Eric and I were mesmerized by the stark gray, barren buttes that rose up out of the grasslands and towered before us. This was the “badlands,” and I had never seen anything like it. I felt sure I had stepped into a John Wayne western!
Not only was the landscape incredible, but I got my first taste of western wildlife. I giggled as I watched the prarie dogs scamper back-and-forth, calling to one another in their cute little squeaky voices. On our hike, Eric spotted mule deer in the distance. Still, the big moment came with my first sighting of bison. I had never seen one except in a zoo, and now a whole herd stood grazing before me! They were massive, and I couldn’t help but grin with sheer amazement.
We had followed the scenic drive through the park, stopping at the pull-outs to enjoy the stellar views. As we came around a corner, our pleasant little drive came to an abrupt halt. Directly ahead, standing in the middle of the road was a bison, and he wasn’t alone. His buddies were behind him, spread out along the side of the road. Traffic in the opposite direction was at a standstill. Having been warned to stay well clear of wildlife, eric stayed put and kept a generous distance from the bison, as did the honda Civic at the front of the line in the opposite lane. Cars began piling up in both directions behind us and the Honda. There was nowhere to go. It was a bison jam!
Thankfully, everyone followed the rules, remaining in their vehicles, content to watch the impromptu gathering before us. After a bit, the bison occupying the lane in front of us began to amble across the road in front of the Honda. He must have been the ring leader, because when he moved, the other bison also started to cross the road.
There was plenty of room for the huge creatures to walk straight across the road and head down the hill, but apparently the ring leader thought a diagonal path was preferable. He walked directly toward the Honda and paused in front of the car’s hood waiting for his friends to catch up, and catch up they did, surrounding the Honda on three sides. Instead of moving on, the beasts just stood there looking around, completely unperturbed by the obstacle in their path. The driver, on the other hand, was more than perturbed, he was flabbergasted. Huddled in the driver’s seat, he craned his head back-and-forth, peering out the windshield at the creatures towering above his tiny car. We couldn’t hear what he was saying, but the terrified look on his face belied what he was thinking, “Now what do I do?!”
Sitting here this morning, I can chuckle at this story, but at the time, it was far from funny, especially for the poor guy stuck in the Honda. That situation caught him totally by surprise. He was minding his own business, staying a safe distance from those humongous creatures, doing what he was supposed to do. It’s just that the bison didn’t play by the rules.
Have you ever found yourself going along, minding your own business, following the rules, and suddenly, unexpected trouble crosses your path? It catches us off guard. We were doing what we were supposed to do, so why is this bad thing happening? It seems so unfair. Our world is turned upside down, and all we can think is “Now what do I do?”
That poor guy in the Honda didn’t ask for that predicament, but all he could do was wait it out. I am quite sure he was praying, and clearly he was hoping the bison would just play nice and move along.
When hardship hits us out of the blue, we can’t help but ask “Now what do I do?” It strikes me that our best avenue of response mirrors the actions of the overwhelmed man in the Honda. We need to wait, trusting God to work it out. We need to pray, fixing our eyes on God instead of focusing solely on our problems. We need to hope, choosing to believe that this present trouble will pass, and in time, the way forward will be made clear.
Those bison finally did decide to move along down the hill, leaving the man in the Honda unharmed, and his car unscathed. We can’t predict what trouble may come for us down the road, but we can choose our responses. We can wait on God. We can pray without ceasing. We can keep hope alive. Best of all, no matter what blocks the road ahead, we can rest assured that we never have to face it alone.
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“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:12 – NIV
PRAYER
O Lord God, this life is plagued with problems. Overwhelming obstacles stand in our path. We fear. We fret. We worry. We don’t know what to do, but You do. Help us to seek You first and refuse to fret. Help us to wait patiently and confidently on Your provision, praying continually, and holding fast to the hope we have in You. You have promised to never leave us nor forsake us, and so let us rest in that blessed assurance.
In the Ever-present Name of Jesus, we pray,
Amen
Blessings,
Anita
-APS 9/30/2024
Faith Beyond Sight 