‘Cause he had timin’…
A ticka-ticka-ticka good timin’ . . .
– Jimmy Jones (1960)
How often do our lives take a different twist because of a few seconds or minutes separating us from certain calamities on life’s thoroughfare?
I’m proposing quite literal highway scenarios here.
The other evening, wife Anna and I were motoring out West Market Street and stopped for a red light at the Rt. 33 and Rt. 42 (High St.) intersection. It turned green and we proceeded, slowly approaching a late-model vehicle also heading west.
We then noticed a min-van on a side street off to our right. It reached the intersection, but instead of stopping, the driver drove right into the path of the vehicle in front of us and they collided.
The impact jerked both vehicles around, causing considerable damage, but fortunately no injuries.
Anna immediately verbalized the same thing I was thinking. “You know, if we’d left the intersection a few seconds later, that would have been us, and the main point of contact would be right where I’m sitting,” The accident replayed in my mind several times.
Last Sunday afternoon, three couples from church who drive Mazda Miatas motored over the Shenandoah Mountain for lunch at a restaurant in Franklin, W.Va. Fine fare there was followed by lickin’-good desert at a nearby ’50s-motif ice cream parlor. Threatening clouds gave way to partly sunny skies as we retraced our route safely to the ‘Burg.
That evening, I went to watch grandson Dylan play ball in a tournament at a local park. It was twilight time as I was returned home. Just as I neared our development, I glanced in the rear view mirror and noticed a trail of smoke out the back end of the Miata. About that time, white smoke billowed out the hood. I’d never experienced anything so unnerving.
I immediately slowed down and nursed the smoking vehicle the rest of the way home and into our driveway, noting the needle on the thermostat gauge pushing to the right of “H.”
Upon popping the hood, I didn’t see any oil sprayed over the engine or any liquid collecting on the driveway. But I was reluctant to start the car or drive it to the garage yet that evening, fearing damage to the engine.
Monday morning, I called my mechanic and explained the situation, asking if someone could look at the car whenever they could.
Those great folks at Richards Auto Service came out mid-Monday morning, despite an already long list of scheduled car repairs, found the problem – a broken radiator hose – and replaced it later the same day. I picked up the Miata that evening and was on the road again, whistling a car tune and shifting for myself.
In the aftermath, the thought hit me numerous times – hey, this could have happened on a rural roadway in West Virginia or left us stranded on the mountain either coming or going. And, we could be staring at a major repair bill at the end of an already long month.
One more example of inexplicable timing: How about coming out on the driveway and finding one of the car tires almost out of air or completely flat rather than having it blow when I’m traveling 65 miles per hour – or faster – on a four-lane, crowded interstate?
Are these vehicular episodes just happenstance or in each case was something or Someone gripping the steering wheel? The situations cited here created little more than some inconvenience that was easily dealt with instead of causing damage or personal injury – or worse. Why?
There’s a fascinating scene in Matthew 4 of Jesus’ long days and nights in the wilderness just prior to beginning His earthly ministry. The devil comes and tries several times to tempt Him to exercise His heavenly powers to remove Himself from this desolate place, declaring: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
I believe that angels, heavenly beings, are watching over us as we encounter unexpected twists and turns in the road, whether it’s behind the wheel or as we stub our toes on obstacles littering our paths.
Understanding God’s timing is no simple task. Oftentimes, it may not be immediately obvious when to apply the brakes and when to hit the accelerator. But whatever the outcome, I believe that God is still in control.
– Column by Jim Bishop
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