Giving Thanks

Yesterday morning at Tim Horton's as I was meeting with someone, they asked me if I had heard about the major accident up the street. I hadn't heard of it yet, but I guess it was very messy.

Last night I got word that it was one of the guys from church, and his son. They were hit on the driver side door by a half ton truck. The son was mostly ok but the dad was in intensive care with broken ribs etc.

I thought about going to the hospital late last evening, but decided to go in the morning. There wasn't immediate danger and I didn't want to disturb him if he had been given sedatives to help him rest. (NOTE: pastoring is a lot about timing. When to do what. Bad timing means missed opportunities, hurting people. Good timing is fruitful ministry, care, etc.)

Anyway, I slept fitfully, the situation kept stirring me to the surface of sleep. I prayed for him and his family, and thanked God that their lives were spared.

Finally, I got tired of trying to sleep, so I got up and went to the Hospital. I visited with him a bit, assured him of my prayers and went off to see another patient from church. He was in allot of pain, and still in ICU, but he should be out soon.

I notice how after these things happen I go to God with a bit of fear and trembling. I go to express my gratefulness that this family has been spared the agony and pain of death. Yet I am keenly aware of how all life is held within the balance of His hand. He really does know the beginning from the end. He knows the date and hour of my own death, and this humbles me to my core.

We live more on the fact that He loves us and gives us wonderful gifts. But it's in moments like these, when we see his raw power at work, that we just shut our mouths and look down at the dirt and there's nothing to say but "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you..."

He has given us yet another reason to be Thankful this Thanksgiving Weekend.