On Sunday mornings I leave very early. I
like (need) some time to get my head together,
and to go over what is planned for that day. I
think this is normal for preachers—at least the
ones I know.
I recall a specific time several years ago
when I left my house early on Sunday—as per
usual—to head to the building. It was dark, also
as per usual. After backing out of my driveway, I
paused for a few seconds at the stop sign on
my street in order to retrieve my phone that I
had dropped at my feet (we live in a ‘closed’
subdivision, by the way—meaning that there is
no outlet).
I turned right out of my neighborhood, then
(3/4 of a mile later) turned west onto Macland
Road. The light at Corner/Florence was green,
so I buzzed through. A minute later, I
approached the light at Poplar Springs. From a
distance, I saw that it also was green. I
remember thinking that it was a “lucky” morning.
No red lights!
Within a few hundred feet of the light at
Poplar Springs, however, I was startled by a
flash. That flash was a car traveling at reckless
speed (from left to right) that blew through the
light in front of me. We missed each other by 50
feet or so, but it was close enough for my body
to have to process a load of adrenaline. As I
drove on toward the building, all I could think
about was, “What if I had not paused to grab my
dropped phone?” What if . . .
Life is filled with “What ifs.” Scripture, too, is
filled with potential “What ifs.” What if we acted
out in every circumstance what we claim to
believe? What if our worship was lived out
beyond the walls of the building? What if we
modeled Jesus every step of the way in our
lives? What if? –Ricky
