“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
We often think that God is never around for the little things. That’s mainly because the only time we ever look for him is when hard times come our way. The truth is God is always with us and reveals himself to us in small ways, too.
There’s a wonderful story in Chapter 6 of II Kings that illustrates my point. The Prophet Elisha, who was Elijah’s replacement as God’s prophet to Israel, was helping to build a house when one of his students lost an ax head in the Jordan River.
“Alas, Master,” he cried out, “It was borrowed.” Then a man of God said, ‘Where did it fall?’ When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float. He said, ‘Pick it up.’ So he reached out his hand and took it.” (II Kings 6:5-7)
Now, you tell me, why would God allow such an insignificant event of everyday life to show up between the healing of a Syrian general and the deliverance of Israel’s army? God’s point here is that he is always present if we will just look for him. Indeed, God cares and provides for those who trust him, even when the stakes are not high.
We often have trouble translating that story of a floating ax head to an everyday event in our own lives. I no longer have that problem. Several years ago, my wife and I were traveling with some friends to Louisville, Kentucky. Just before we left, the father of one our friends said a short prayer, which simply asked God to watch over us. I remember while he prayed thinking that his prayer seemed so sincere as if we really needed God to watch over us. But we weren’t in danger. We were going on vacation.
While we were traveling through Nashville, Tennessee, a flatbed truck passed us on the right. I noticed a short piece of lumber on the bed of the trailer and in just the wink of an eye, it was airborne and heading straight for us. I wasn’t driving, but there was nothing the driver could do. Traffic was too heavy to risk putting our vehicle into another lane. That 4-by 4 piece of wood crashed against our windshield, placing our lives right in God’s hands.
You should have seen our windshield. It was shattered. But we were able to get off the highway and within a few hours, the glass was replaced and we were on our way to Louisville.
While we were waiting to have the windshield replaced, we decided to catch a cab and run to an urgent care center to have our eyes washed. When we got into the cab and began telling the driver what happened, I said, “We sure were lucky.” But God had another answer for me because that cab driver let me know that luck had nothing to do with it. “You weren’t lucky,” he told me. “You were blessed.”
He was right. Luck had nothing to do with our near-disaster. You see God decided to show me what a floating ax head looks like. While it may seem small, the same God who raises the dead lowered the boom on me. He taught me never to trivialize prayer. I realize now that the prayer we said in the driveway before we left home is the reason that windshield didn’t crack. Safety glass had nothing to do with it.
There are times when Christians do not recognize God even though he’s right there staring them in the face. That’s what happened to me while on my vacation. John the Baptist once said, “But among you stands one you do not know.” (John 1:26)
Oh I know Him all right. But most of the time I look to God in big ways and forget that he’s there in small ways, too. That floating ax head hit me right between the eyes.
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