Soft music plays, barely discernible. Brake lights flash from many cars slowing down but he continues to accelerate towards them. We’re gonna crash, I want to yell. I stare sideways at the evergreen trees, willing myself to relax and breathe. I smell my youngest son’s wet sweaty clothes in the back. My legs are restless on the leather seat. My foot stabs an imaginary brake pedal and my tense stomach muscles tell me we are going to connect violently with the next vehicle.
“Please put more space between us and the next car.”
“I’m paying attention,” he grunts.
“You could be in a ten car pile up before you know it.” I’m trying to keep my voice casual but I’m inwardly freaking out. I’ve had some accidents before. This feels like another one coming.
My young adult son needed more practice driving so I had asked him to drive me to pick up his youngest brother from a retreat which was a 101-mile (164 kilometre) round trip with a few fun detours.
There was a slowdown on the freeway. He seemed to want to kiss the bumper of the vehicle ahead. “You don’t want an accident when you only have your learner’s permit.”
I clear my throat and look outside to the right again to keep from saying something I would regret. It is difficult to be in the passenger seat with no control.
“I am here. There is no need to be afraid. I am with you,” the voice in my heart was unmistakable. “Yes,” I breathe out slowly. “Thank you, Lord.”
Looking back, even though God had reassured me, I should have had my son pull over and asked him to drive more responsibly, both to show me respect and to help him train to pass his road test.
The Holy Spirit strengthened me and helped me in the moment, just as he promised. He wants to do that for you too.
Father God, sometimes I completely forget that in your presence there is nothing to fear because you are always with me. Even if bad things happen, or threaten to happen, I can trust you. Sorry for being anxious and afraid. Thank you for forgiving me because of Jesus’s blood shed for me.
Throughout this Day: Play and think about and sing this song based on today’s verse “Fear Not
”.
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