Holy Monday on SLEX
Holy Monday. I was on my way to Laguna for an overnight youth leaders meeting of our district. We were 7 in the car, with me are 6 of our youth staff. It was a fine day, no rain; traffic in SLEx is light. It was my second time to traverse the highway with much confidence and prayer. 8 kilometers to Calamba exit, Suddenly we heard a huge explosion. It was an old black delivery fierra just front-right of us, it was the rear right tire that exploded. As it tried to turn to the shoulder side of the highway he went out of control. Right before our eyes, he spun out of control and turned over many times crushing its passengers in the front end. Speeding at 100kph, the massive metal was heading straight toward us! On my mind I said that that was it, we are going to die. A few inches toward impact I swerved a little (we were on the left-most lane) and missed the wreck which by that time already stopped. Swerving more than that we would've ran over the central gutter and suffered similar fate. As we drove away the cars behind us began to stop in aid of the accident.
As we drove off, we were left with total shock. It was like being in a Steven Spielberg episode. We were witnesses to a tragedy as it unfolded. My hands and feet were cold and stiff. And because of immense fear my chest began to stiff up as if having a heart attack. The thought of the fate of those two unfortunate passengers was frightening. Arriving at the toll gate, I told the personnel about what happened so the authorities would know.
It was out of question that God has protected us from the accident. I reflected about what if the wreck did hit us and killed us. I felt a sense of grief of not having spent time with the people I love. It was not about the physical and the material, but in face with death, there are more eternal things that matter - my relationship with God. It is during these "brushes with death" that we are awaken to re-evaluate our direction in life. Living today like it was the last. Doing the things we really wanted to do. Pursuing our personal legend. During our meeting we recounted our experience and testified of His saving protection. The Psalm 139 verse about God's hand enclosing me from behind and before with has become more alive to me. I live today given another chance, another opportunity, just like before, to give Him glory. God has proven it again and again. He lives and is on the move. Indeed He is the God of Second Chances.
As we drove off, we were left with total shock. It was like being in a Steven Spielberg episode. We were witnesses to a tragedy as it unfolded. My hands and feet were cold and stiff. And because of immense fear my chest began to stiff up as if having a heart attack. The thought of the fate of those two unfortunate passengers was frightening. Arriving at the toll gate, I told the personnel about what happened so the authorities would know.
It was out of question that God has protected us from the accident. I reflected about what if the wreck did hit us and killed us. I felt a sense of grief of not having spent time with the people I love. It was not about the physical and the material, but in face with death, there are more eternal things that matter - my relationship with God. It is during these "brushes with death" that we are awaken to re-evaluate our direction in life. Living today like it was the last. Doing the things we really wanted to do. Pursuing our personal legend. During our meeting we recounted our experience and testified of His saving protection. The Psalm 139 verse about God's hand enclosing me from behind and before with has become more alive to me. I live today given another chance, another opportunity, just like before, to give Him glory. God has proven it again and again. He lives and is on the move. Indeed He is the God of Second Chances.
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