Re-routed Lives
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 (ESV)
More than 8,000 people and business owners went to bed Tuesday evening after a long day at work. Some were just headed out to work (paying dearly for their jobs).
Wednesday morning, the people living in the Baltimore area saw a new landscape. What had once been a beautiful sight to behold no longer existed and for many, that domino effect was taking place in their minds. Questions like these popped into their heads:
· How will I get to work?
· Wait, is work even going to be open?
· Will this take a long time to fix?
· Just a minute…how is everyone who takes the bridge getting to work today?
· What am I going to do now?
Most probably didn’t think about the cars crossing the bridge when it crumbled. There might not have been any thought given to the freighter pilots and the fears they experienced. Care and compassion were quite a distance from first responders, the families of those on the bridge, or those whose livelihood pivoted on the use of the harbor and Dali’s movement out of Baltimore. We can be very self-centered, right?
On Tuesday, March 26, 2024, many lives were re-routed! They either went kicking, screaming, complaining, and frustrated or they were able to turn to the Lord and recall a verse or two. Maybe it was this one from Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
We never know when the routines of our daily lives will be uprooted. But we can prepare. As we read God’s Holy Word, we discover verses that are significant to us. They resonate in our hearts and bring us comfort, peace, and joy.
Don’t be too quick to move on! Hang out there for a while and ask the Holy Spirit to give deeper insight into those precious words. We have no way of knowing when we will need them…but there will come a time!
Father God, You are always with us but sometimes we forget, especially when change is involved. Please give us more compassion for others and less self-centered thinking. AMEN.