Rarely a day goes by when I don't thank the Lord for protection while driving either a car or scooter here. Monday afternoon I was just a pedestrian though.
After the conclusion of Taiwanese 2nd language study, I wait at the intersection in front of the crosswalk for the light to turn red. I make my way across the street. A delivery truck madly makes a left turn and comes bounding toward me. In a split section I jump out the way, missing being hit by the absolute narrowest of margins! Had I been slower due to age or infirmity, a mother with a stroller, or been looking the other way, it would have been over. Looking back in anger, amazement, and relief, I see the driver only has one hand on the steering wheel.
An hour later, I'm driving myself. Making a left in town as absolutely no cars are coming from the other direction (there is no light here), a vehicle suddenly and rapidly accelerates from the curb diagonally across. He obviously hasn't looked for oncoming traffic. I narrowly miss him as I slam on the brakes. It's one of those slow-motion moments when I feel that God in his amazing design of the human body has sharpened and intensified our reflexes.This near-incident, though probably not life-threatening, would surely have decimated the mission vehicle I was driving.
In both instances, I initially feel a fleeting moment of anger at the way so many people seem to drive here with utter disregard for the safety or lives of others. During a recent lesson on driving in my Taiwanese textbook written 30 some years ago, my instructor comments that things are actually better now! However, within milliseconds anger quickly melts into a feeling gratitude and a prayer of thanksgiving:
I lift up my eyes to the hills-- from where will my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore. Psalm 121
3 comments:
"Praise God for a safe trip" comes out of my lips almost every time I put the kickstand down on my bike after a ride. I think that same delivery truck almost hit me once too. :-)
Seriously, though. I'm so glad you are safe and not a part of the TMF memorials this summer.
Mark, I'm so glad God kept a hedge of protection around you. He needs you there! You are in my prayers daily.
Praise God for watching over you in such dangerous situations. And I thought New York drivers were crazy!
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