I left in the bright sunshine. After about driving for an hour I started to notice a few flurries,
and it wasn't long before I was driving in miserable weather. The winds began gusting harder
and soon the roads were covered and I was experiencing white out conditions. Anyone who
knows me well, knows that when there is even a forecast of snow I stay home. As I've gotten
older I've learned that nothing is so important that its worth risking my life for. A four hour
drive turned into a nerve wracking five plus hour drive. By the time I got home the steering
wheel cover pattern was imprinted on the palms of my hands! There was a point going over
the mountain between Bridgetown and Digby that I started praying, and I ended up just
saying, "Lord, please take the wheel, I can't drive in this." God drove me home.
After I prayed that, I started wondering why it is that in our lives we want control until we
hit a sudden storm of trials, then we finally pray, "Lord take the wheel?" You see, the Lord
should be "driving" all the time. As I was reminded of again today, the road can be clear
and the skies sunny, then the next minute you're in the midst of a sudden storm. You lose
sight of the road, and you become overwhelmed with the danger that you find yourself in.
We find in Mark chapter 14 that the disciples thought all was well. They were with the
Lord and although He had tried to tell them of the coming events surrounding His death,
burial and resurrection, they did not comprehend. They did not see the coming storm.
Mark 14:27 - 31 "And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of
Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be
scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter
said unto Him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto
him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow
twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should
die with Thee, I will not deny Thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all."
We know what happens next...all the disciples fled in fear that night, and Peter denied
the Lord three times before the cock crowed twice.
Mark 14:50 "And they all forsook Him, and fled."
Mark 14:68 "But he (Peter) denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I
what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew."
Mark 14:70 "And he (Peter) denied again..."
Mark 14:71 "But he (Peter) began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this
man of whom ye speak."
Mark 14:72 "And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the
word that Jesus said unto him, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me
thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept."
Peter had been told, warned, but then the storm of fear descended and he and all
the disciples forsook the Lord and ran, and Peter even denied knowing Him. What
an awful mess they had gotten themselves into. They were doing things in their own
strength. Peter had said, "I" won't forsake You; "I" won't deny You." Whenever you
tell the Lord, "I", you're in trouble. The disciples were suddenly in a storm of fear
and uncertainty. All that they thought they knew was in question and they didn't know
which way to turn in the "white out" conditions they found themselves in.
In the sudden white outs today on the highway, I had no idea where on the road I was,
where the other cars where...I could see nothing! But the Lord could. He knew where
I was. And the Lord knew just where Peter was when he had denied Him, for He looked
right into his eyes.
Luke 22:61& 62 "And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter
remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, Before the cock
crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly."
The Lord was there in the same courtyard as Peter, but Peter was overtaken with
fear and didn't see the Lord until it was too late, he had already sinned. Isn't that
just like us? We try to drive our way through the storms, unaware that the Lord is
right there beside us!
In the storms of life, we are blinded by the trials and heartaches that take us unaware;
but the Lord knows all about it. He knows just how to get you through each problem
that arises. Wouldn't it be so much easier to let the Lord steer your life all the time,
instead of just calling to Him in emergencies to take over? He has the power over all
that happens in our lives, the calm times and the stormy gales that rage.
Psalms 89:9 "Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise
Thou stillest them."
Psalms 94:18 "When I said, My foot slippeth, Thy mercy, O LORD, held me up."
I am so thankful for the mercy of the Lord that holds me up! We will not know until
we reach Glory just how many times the Lord has diverted disaster from our pathways
that we were unaware of! Can you imagine how much more we have to thank the
Lord for! After I got home I heard on the news that the RCMP were warning people
to stay off the highways; and the 101 that I had been driving on had reported multiple
accidents..."Lord take the wheel!"
Psalms 73:26 "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my
heart, and my portion forever."
Psalms 63:7 & 8 "Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of
Thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after Thee: Thy right hand
upholdeth me."
I was so happy and relieved when I finally saw the Yarmouth sign, and I knew that I
had made it home in one piece. I can only imagine what it will be like the day I step
over into Glory and know that I have made it home in one piece...that my God had
brought me safely home.
How about you, are you struggling at the wheel, trying to see through the blinding
storms and fighting against the winds that are trying to blow you off the pathway.
Why don't you quit the struggle and hand the wheel over to the Lord? He's just
sitting silently by waiting for you to surrender and say, "Lord, take the wheel!"
Some day life's journey will be o'er,
And I shall reach that distant shore;
I'll sing while entering heaven's door,
"Jesus led me all the way."
If God should let me there review,
The winding paths of earth I knew,
It would be proven clear and true,
"Jesus led me all the way."
And hitherto my Lord hath led,
Today He guides each step I tread;
And soon in Heaven it will be said,
"Jesus led my all the way!"
Jesus led me all the way,
Led me step by step each day;
I will tell the saints and angels
As I lay my burdens down,
"Jesus led me all the way."
John W. Peterson
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