“The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Highest your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone”.
Psalm 91:8-13 NIV
I remember going to school in the fall of 1992 to take a midterm exam. The night before my husband and I had a heated argument the previous evening. I don’t remember what the fight was about, but I do recall that we were both angry and didn’t speak to each other after it. We were both ready to give up. Everything was going wrong. I felt like God was so very far away from me.
Early that morning, I dropped off my daughters at school before taking my midterm. After finishing the exam, I felt an overwhelming desire to call my husband and ask him for his forgiveness. So, I went to the payphone, took some quarters, and called my husband. After our conversation, I had a tremendous sense of peace in my heart.
I then left the school and walked towards the bus stop. My mind was so preoccupied with everything that was going on in my life that I started to speak to the Lord and unveiled my heart to Him. Even though I wasn’t sure that He was listening, I couldn’t stop talking to Him. I didn’t notice an elderly woman standing next to me as I waited for the light to change. I didn’t give it much thought since it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. She was another pedestrian waiting for the light to change.
I looked away from the elderly woman and noticed a truck blocking the crossroad. As I waited for the light to turn green, I also saw a white car waiting for the light to change.
Unfortunately, the driver wasn’t paying attention since he was too busy kissing his girlfriend. When the light changed, I attempted to cross the street, but the older woman smiled at me as she pushed me out of the way.
Suddenly, the white car hit us, and we were thrown into the middle of the expressway. I remember crawling over to where the older woman was lying down and whispering in her ears, “Please don’t die. Help is on the way.”
The students who witnessed the accident ran to help me and carried me to safety while they called for an ambulance. I asked them to help the elderly woman because she was severely hurt.
They looked at me and started to mumble something. Unfortunately, the ambulance took too long to arrive, so I asked the students to help me get on the bus. When I got home, my girls and my husband were already there. They took me to the ER and the police station to report the accident.
After they had taken my statement, my husband asked the police about the older woman who was hit. They looked at us as though we were weird. “There was no one else at the scene except your wife. “That’s impossible!” I said. “An elderly woman was hit because she pushed me out of the way.” “Well, I guess you have a guardian angel by your side because there was no report made of another person being hit except you.”
This accident still haunts me today. Who was that elderly woman who saved my life? Unfortunately, there are no records of an elderly woman being hit by a car on that day, time, or location. So then, who was she, and where did she come from?
The Lord reminded me of this incident that occurred in 1992 as I read Psalm 91 today. “If you say, “The LORD is my refuge, and you make the Highest your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:8-13 NIV)
Who was that old lady who saved my life in 1992? It was an angel sent by the Lord to protect me and save my life. Psalm 91 says, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
But why me? I don’t know, but God thought I was worth saving. He knew the work he had begun in me was not finished. He created me on purpose and for a purpose. What is that purpose? It’s something I’m still figuring out. But I know my story was only beginning in 1992.
Sometimes we live our lives believing the enemy’s lies—that we are worthless and have no purpose. But that, my friend, is a lie. Our story would not be complete without our missteps, wrongdoings, and mess. God will cause all things to work together for our good. (See Ro. 8:28)
So let’s run our race and accept both the good and the bad. Let’s focus on Jesus and trust that He will complete the work He started in us.
Father, thank you for saving my life so many times and never leaving me alone, even when circumstances show that I am alone. Thank you for creating me on purpose and for a purpose. Guide me and show me what Your calling is in my life so I can continue to run my race, knowing that You’re by my side and that my story will bring You honor. In Jesus’ precious name, amen!