We left around 3pm on the Sunday afternoon to get back in time for us to get ready for the week to come when, 20 minutes away from the bach and about to drive up a huge hill in the mountains, our front left tire on the car instantly punctured.
Here is actual video footage of the events that followed as recorded from Sam's digital camera:
So there we were sitting on the side of the open road, 20 minutes from the bach, 2 hours from home, with a punctured tire, our 'spare' tire punctured with the sun going down pretty quickly. Needless to say we were becoming pretty desperate and weren't exactly excited by the prospect of sleeping in a car with 3 wheels or thumbing a ride back to the bach.
We read Philippians 4:6 and figured that you can never do with enough prayer in times such as these. We prayed, and prayed, talked, and prayed. Our last ditch hope was sitting in the laps of 3 guys on quad bikes we'd met approximately an hour before, hoping on the off chance they might have a spare tire and rim that'd fit our car.
We kept praying when in the dark night came headlights that slowly pulled over to the side of the road and the 3 guys jumped out declaring they had found a tire and rim that would fit. It was legendary - the tire fitted, we almost ran out of gas but they happened to have a spare 20L petrol container and were willing to pour it into the car if we paid them back.
Basically, Jesus is not only a man - but He is the man. See how I fitted in a little theology in that statement too? Yes, I may not be the most scientific person with a brain that oozes philosophical data, but to me the chances of 3 guys turning up in the middle of nowhere as the sun is going down with a spare tire and rim that fits exactly our car and has a spare 20L petrol container isn't just chance. Call me superstitious but that looks alot more like God than coincidence. God is interested in every situation of our lives and is willing to help us out if we're willing to honour Him by asking Him to help.
I can just see God sitting there on His throne rocking it out with angels surrounding Him singing "How Great is Our God" by Chris Tomlin, when suddenly He hears the small, slightly desperate prayers of 2 naive young guys on the side of the road with 3 wheels on their car. He jumps up, the angels still singing in perfect harmony, looks down and starts feeling for them. Then the greatest thing of all happens - they ask Him to help. He gets the opportunity to come through without barging on in. He sends 3 random quad bikers completely covered in mud to go check them out for Him. I think that's cool that He moves when He sees we really want Him to. And in a cool way. I realise that it probably doesn't go down exactly like that, given that God not just in heaven but right next to us but it's cool to think it went down like that.
Basically, give God the chance to do what He's longing to - help out His children who really want Him to turn up. When you need Him, put aside your pride and ask Him to help. He's eager, like a 3 year old kid ready to find the eggs in the family Easter egg hunt, to bless us and to remind us how awesome He is.
In the end, the moral of the story, pray when you need help. And, have a proper 'spare' tire.
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6 comments:
I'm glad God came to give you a spare tyre rather than help those in Myanmar who have died.
Rhys, this is an excellent testimony of answered prayer.
Anonymous, I see where you are coming from: what has happened in Myanmar is terrible, and indeed is happening all over the world these days. If we read the Bible we see that all these things were predicted as signs of the last days:
"Countries will fight each other; kingdoms will attack one another. There will be famines and earthquakes everywhere."
- Matthew 24:7 (GNB)
What has happened in Myanmar, and now China, is terrible, but we must realise that during the tribulation things will get much worse. Luckily by God's grace some will avoid the worst of human suffering. True Christian's who believe in Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour will be raptured up to heaven.
Although nobody knows the exact day or hour when Jesus will come back, the signs of the time are all around us. This can be seen in the book of Revelation written by the Apostle John. Many false prophets are there to deceive us from finding the light. I pray daily for my best friend who is a Catholic, that she will confess Jesus as her Lord and will be raptured up before the worst of suffering that is to come.
Thanks Rhys for a great post.
Hey anonymous, firstly thanks for you post - I appreciate the fact that you took time to read my post even if you are frustrated by the seemingly 'discare' that God has for the people of Myanmar.
Secondly, it'd be stupid for me to say that I know why God let what happened over there because honestly, I don't. But, what I do know is that just as God showed up in my situation, He wants to show up in that situation. I think I'd be pretty safe to say that if you believe that God does exist - the guy who created the world - He's not bound by time or by place.
Therefore, saying that because He was busy helping me out gave Him a convenient excuse of not saving the people over there isn't right. Although this sounds cliche, the love that God showed me by showing up in a seemingly helpless situation is the same love that He wants to show to those in the seemingly helpless situation in Myanmar.
I can't honestly say I have a reason for why God let that happen but what I without a doubt do know is that He'll use this situation to display His power, love and grace to those that are in desperate need of it.
Pencil man - I see your point of view, and again, thankyou for taking time to read and comment on the post, but I have to say the way you talked about the end days probably wasn't that helpful for someone whose trying to get their head around where God is in all of this. I assume it wasn't your intention, and although what you're saying about thing progressively going down-hill is true, I still think that almost scaring people into choosing God to get raptured away from what's going on isn't the way I'd think Jesus would go about it.
Jesus wasn't about going around scaring people into the Kingdom and going balistic about the 'evil end days' He was about offering people a fulfilled, incredible life with Him. I know where you're coming from but I just don't think it's helpful to say that "luckily by God's grace some will avoid the worst of human suffering" as I don't think that's the way Jesus would have shared the gospel which is available to everyone.
I am pleased to see that you have overcome your apparent faith crisis, pencil man. =)
I definitely see where you are coming from, Rhys, but we need to be aware that the Gospel message will offend people! There is no point in trying to cover up the truth from people, or selling them a watered down Gospel, do we?
I know that you are motivated by wanting to save as many people as you can, Rhys, and that by telling them only of the love of God that it might be a nicer way to do this. I am afraid though, that if we pick and choose the bits of the Bible message that we tell people, then how will they truly be saved?
We have recently been having serious discussions at our church about how some people talk about praying to God and having God answer their prayers whilst others, who appear to have the same faith are not having their prayers answered. I think it is really interesting how this earthquake in China and loss of life in Burma happen in non-Christian places; but I don’t think we can say why, you are right, God is mysterious, God is great!
I really liked how you showed how personal God can be in helping you out here and how you just knew it was God, it is so cool when you have that drive and passion coming from God. It was also cool how you described how obviously God wasn’t just distracted by helping you out so as not to help out the people in Burma, or elsewhere, He was sure at our amazing worship on Sunday!
It is so cool also how you just explain so well how God operates, you obviously have a really great grip on what God is like and have a really on fire relationship with Him! I so know what that is like! Broham, keep up the cool posts!
Hey imatrufundy, thanks for the enouragement and support. In reference to how I may have come across in my comments as watering down the gospel, I certainly agree with you. I think often we can pick and choose, as you said, to appeal to others without honestly opening up the gospel and explaining our need for God to save us from our sin and the consequences of what happens if we choose not to do that.
What I am more getting at is (something that I am increasing becoming aware of) really watching how we express that to others. We certainly need to help people realise their sin but I've been rethinking lately about whether we are going at it in the right way. I agree with pencil man, but what I was attempting to bring up was whether our current way of 'confronting people with the truth' is turning more people away from the gospel that turning them towards it.
I agree that the nature of the gospel is accepting responsibility for our sin and that can offend a decent amount of people - but the conviction is brought by the Holy Spirit not by the words we bring in an attempt to convict people.
Great points, again I really appreciate your comments. I think a post on this very issue about 'how do we go about sharing the gospel in a way that is convicting but not judgemental' will be a'comin onto the blog very soon.
Keep your eyes peeled.
rhys you are a hypocrite. You pick and chose more than you would like to admit, as evidenced here in your post and subsequent comments.
Shameful!!
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