It was an ordinary August afternoon. Kind of.
My husband and I had a surprise planned for our oldest daughter. She knew something special was in the works, but had no idea what was coming next.
We were excited for her reaction and she couldn’t wait to find out what lay in store.
So, it wasn’t a completely normal summer day. Yet we had no idea we would soon be in need of divine protection.
The wrong kind of surprise…
I was on the way to my husband’s place of work with both our girls, who were five and three at the time. They thought I was dropping off our oldest for a daddy-daughter date.
That was partly true, except this was no ordinary outing. My brother-in-law had scored two extra tickets to a professional baseball game he was attending with his own daughter. He had graciously invited my husband and little girl along.
Our daughter had only attended two or three games in the major league stadium. We knew she would be thrilled with the surprise.
I don’t remember exactly what we were chatting about as we drove along the busy highway, but what happened next is forever etched in my mind.
I was driving around 55 miles per hour (right around the speed limit for that particular stretch of road) and headed through an intersection where I had a green light. Out of nowhere, a car from the oncoming lane suddenly made a left turn in front of me.
A moment frozen in time…
I could barely process what was happening as I pumped the brakes and attempted to avoid a collision. But there wasn’t enough time to swerve or veer to the side.
My large SUV slammed into the side of the smaller car. The force of our vehicle and the speed at which we collided sent the other car spinning into another lane of traffic.
The sudden crash deployed my airbag, stopped our vehicle in the middle of the intersection, and left me dazed and breathless.
My first thought was the safety of my two little girls in the back seat. It’s impossible to describe my relief as I turned and saw them still buckled tightly in their car seats and apparently unharmed.
Read “14 Bible Verses About God’s Protection“ for a comforting reminder of the safety we have in Jesus.
A scary sight…
My next thought was the condition of the other passengers. I looked across the highway and saw a man frantically jumping out of his car.
He yanked open the back door of the now crumpled vehicle. I watched as he pulled a small baby from the wreckage.
My heart skipped a few beats as realization dawned that I had just collided with a car holding an infant. I knew it hadn’t been my fault. I knew there was nothing I could have done to change things.
But that didn’t stop fear and worry from pumping through my veins. The man held the baby close and ran toward our car, tears streaming down his face.
He was in shock and his speech somewhat incoherent, but it was clear he wanted to check on us.
I assured him we appeared to be fine and asked about his baby. He thought she was okay. It was only then that I felt myself breathe again.
But the adrenaline was still coursing through my veins as I turned my attention towards my own children and their shocked little faces.
Holding it together…
The next hour was a blur of activity.
A woman who I still believe was an angel in disguise was first on the scene. She stayed by my side until firefighters and police arrived. She gently guided me through a 911 call and kept my mind busy with idle conversation in those long minutes before help arrived.
I insisted on staying in the car until first responders could come, safely extract my children, and check us all over. While we waited, I called my husband who immediately came to our aid.
The strong resolve and brave face I’d been putting on for my kids crumpled at first sight of my husband. I struggled to hold back tears as I told him what happened.
He took control of the situation, answering our daughters many questions, talking with police, and arranging to have our vehicle moved from the middle of the highway.
I used that time to take a few deep breaths, compose myself, and try to make sense of the situation.
Only then did I realize my hand had been cut and my body battered from the force of the airbag.
The paramedics checked each of us over in the back of their ambulance (much to my children’s delight) and gave us the all clear. They recommended our daughters follow up with their pediatrician to confirm there was no unseen trauma.
And they assured me I would be bruised and sore for days to come. The speed at which we collided was a guarantee of that.
Processing the accident…
As I told my side of the story to a police officer, I discovered several witnesses had stayed at the scene and all given similar reports. The other driver had pulled out directly in front of me. I was not at fault.
Apparently, the man had been sitting at a red light and turned around to calm his fussy baby. He heard a car horn and assumed it was another driver letting him know the light had changed.
Flustered, he made the left turn and pulled out into traffic without looking. While I was thankful that I wasn’t responsible for the accident, I was still shaken.
After being released by the paramedics and police, I stood watching a tow truck haul off our brand new SUV. The one we had saved and planned for months to purchase. Most likely totaled.
While that loss was difficult to stomach, it was minimal compared to what could have been.
The questions I can’t help but ask…
Most of that afternoon is a combination of fuzzy memories shrouded in adrenaline and shock. But as I look back on that day, a chorus of “what ifs” always flood my mind.
What if we’d been in the little car I was driving only a few short months before? The impact could have been fatal.
What if we hadn’t spent the extra money for the bulky car seats with the high safety rating? Our girls might not have escaped without a scratch.
What if that baby’s car seat had been placed on the side instead of the middle? The thought is almost too much to comprehend.
Those questions come to mind often when I reflect on the accident. They usually cause my heart to race and palms to sweat.
Yet the biggest “what if’ question of all has the exact opposite effect. It brings comfort and triggers waves of thankfulness.
What if God hadn’t been present in that moment? What if his hand of divine protection wasn’t covering us?
Divine protection when we needed it most…
The amazing first responders who came to our aid that day seemed surprised at the lack of injuries. Considering the speed and force of impact, everyone walking away with nothing more than minor cuts and bruises was a bit astonishing.
Some might say we were lucky. Others might credit karma or fate.
But I see things differently.
That car accident was a vivid reminder of God’s protection. It was almost as if heaven came down to a quiet Missouri road on a hot August day and created a miracle right out of thin air.
What could have been a tragedy is now a testimony of his love and mercy.
The seen and unseen moments of God’s protection…
I’ve thanked him time and again for protecting my family that day. But there’s one more question that still lingers in my mind.
How many times has divine protection been present in my life before and I didn’t even know it?
How many different ways has God orchestrated events to protect me from some unseen danger? Could I even count the number of times he has redirected my steps to keep me from harm? Probably not.
Yet I know those moments exist. And I find comfort knowing they always will.
Because God is constantly behind the scenes of our lives, working things out for our good. Those events look different for each person and every circumstance.
Sometimes we can clearly see his hand and understand his purpose. But more often than not, his ways are hidden and his reasons difficult to comprehend.
Yet we can be sure we’re always under the cover of his mighty hand.
On a certain highway, just outside the city, in the late afternoon sunlight, we clearly saw that hand at work. God’s divine protection on that day was obvious. Next time it might not be.
But whether hidden or apparent, he is always there. Directing our paths and keeping us safe until the day he calls us home.
While we can’t always see God at work, we CAN be confident that he never leaves us. Do you have a “divine protection” story? I’d love to hear it! Please share in the comments below.
Leave a Reply