Death passed before my face

I spotted a rotted pine tree in our woods and decided to cut it down. At its base, the tree measured about 10 inches in diameter. As the tree hit the ground, its trunk recoiled more than anticipated and passed within inches of my head. It looked like a blur passing before my face. Had it hit me, I would not be telling this story. Immediately after it occurred, I immediately praised the Lord for saving me from mortal injury and likely death. I said, “Thank you, God. Thank you, God.”

There are so many unrealized dangers at work in our world, it’s best to walk with God every second of every day. The Scripture implies that God places His hedge of protection around those who love Him. Those who call upon God only when danger arrives may be disappointed when He doesn’t answer.

Some say there is no God, but their minds change when viewing the heavens on a starry night. All planets, stars and galaxies move in predetermined paths. Their motion was set at the beginning of creation. No wonder the Psalmist wrote: “The heavens declare the glory of God.” The clockwork precision of heavenly bodies is manifestly evident in computer software that can roll the heavens backward or forward to any date. For example, on November 15, 1835, at 9:30 p.m., Joanna Troutman of Crawford County spotted a bright star that inspired her to craft the “Lone Star Flag.” This flag led Texas forces to victory over Mexico in the ‘Texas War of Independence.’ What star did she see? This computer program identified Troutman’s star as the planet Jupiter, illuminated by the sun, as it ascended over the horizon.

Stalwarts of the faith were protected from harm by God. One was King David. He wrote in Psalms: “The Lord guides me in the path of righteousness…Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for He is with me…He prepares the table for me in the presence of my enemies…I will live forever in the House of the Lord.”

Another was the Apostle Paul who was steadfast in his allegiance to God and in doing the Lord’s work. Paul wrote: “I have been jailed many times. Five times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times the Romans beat me. I was stoned by my enemies. I was shipwrecked three times and spent a night and day in the sea.” Yet, Paul became the greatest spokesman for Christ the world has ever known.

Failure to follow God’s guidance has consequences that are evident in the lives of many Bible characters described from Genesis through Revelation. Psalm 37 states: “The Lord takes care of those who obey Him, but the wicked will die…The Lord guides us in the way we should go and protects those who please Him.”

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