Collapsed Bridge
At around 2 o'clock this afternoon, I said good-bye to my friend and mentioned that I would look forward to seeing her again this weekend. Shortly after, she left on her return trip to Minneapolis to meet some family for a family reunion. She hadn't made it more than 30 minutes, when a tube broke loose on her car and it made a loud noise causing her to pool over to the side of the road. The prognosis - junk yard. Luckily, she wasn't too far away and she was able to get a hold of my parents who helped her out.
While I was finishing up a few last minute things I needed to do before heading to work and saying fare-well to my friend, she was busily mapping out her route home, which included MN I-35.
Earlier this morning I asked God to save the lives of my friends - and I listed out their names. God answered that prayer this afternoon with a car that refused to move!
I don't even know how to express my gratefulness for the fact that my friend didn't make it to Minneapolis. I don't know how to even respond to the fact that based upon the time my friend left and the journey she needed to take there was a possibility that she could have been on the bridge that gave out.
Just 3 weeks ago, I was on that bridge with a youth from my church, who insisted on closing her eyes until we had finished crossing. She shared that she was afraid of bridges and what would happen if they fell. Just 3 weeks ago, I was assuring her on that very bridge that she needn't be afraid.
Life is so precious. Timing is in God's hands. Our prayers are answered. Our one true God is a protector. We might be left with questions as to why some were stopped on the bridge when it collapsed and others safely made it across. But, we also wonder about these other things previously mentioned - timing, the value of life, and even human creativity.
And here I stop and wonder and share words of thanks and praise, while at the same time I am aware that for some, tonight is not a night of thanksgiving, but rather a night of tears.
Lord, I ask that you might comfort them in their time of grief, that you might bring healing to those who are injured and witnesses of this collapse, and that your presence might make perfect the areas of weakness in all that is happening. May you be their strength, their hope, their love, and their ever-present help and guidance. Bless them God and bring them life!
Picture of bridge collapse.
While I was finishing up a few last minute things I needed to do before heading to work and saying fare-well to my friend, she was busily mapping out her route home, which included MN I-35.
Earlier this morning I asked God to save the lives of my friends - and I listed out their names. God answered that prayer this afternoon with a car that refused to move!
I don't even know how to express my gratefulness for the fact that my friend didn't make it to Minneapolis. I don't know how to even respond to the fact that based upon the time my friend left and the journey she needed to take there was a possibility that she could have been on the bridge that gave out.
Just 3 weeks ago, I was on that bridge with a youth from my church, who insisted on closing her eyes until we had finished crossing. She shared that she was afraid of bridges and what would happen if they fell. Just 3 weeks ago, I was assuring her on that very bridge that she needn't be afraid.
Life is so precious. Timing is in God's hands. Our prayers are answered. Our one true God is a protector. We might be left with questions as to why some were stopped on the bridge when it collapsed and others safely made it across. But, we also wonder about these other things previously mentioned - timing, the value of life, and even human creativity.
And here I stop and wonder and share words of thanks and praise, while at the same time I am aware that for some, tonight is not a night of thanksgiving, but rather a night of tears.
Lord, I ask that you might comfort them in their time of grief, that you might bring healing to those who are injured and witnesses of this collapse, and that your presence might make perfect the areas of weakness in all that is happening. May you be their strength, their hope, their love, and their ever-present help and guidance. Bless them God and bring them life!
Picture of bridge collapse.
Comments
My cousin Sarah usually takes that bridge home from work, but she happened to be in another part of town that day. She's had a weird feling about that bridge for a while now...