THE TESTING

JOB - 34 - 21

For His eyes are on the ways of man

and He sees all his steps.

Precisely, yes, well where are you Lord thought Sam as the car slowly slid to a halt on the busy motor way.

Something tells me there's a jinx on this journey someone is eager to stop me reaching my destination this morning.   He grabbed his mobile phone  "sorry Paul, I'm afraid the car's broken down on the motor way, I'll phone you back with the latest when the rescue service arrives.    

Plan B then is it Lord?   No response.  

Your eye is on the sparrow sang Sam jumping up and down trying to keep warm in the middle of a patch of brambles.   The breakdown service had been called but that was over thirty minutes ago.

He glanced at his young son shivering in the cold.  "Where's your coat boy" he said exasperated by his son's usual reply "I forgot it"

"Right" said Sam "you stay here and I'll climb down the bank and get it out of the car"   

"It's not in the car, I forgot it" repeated his son.

"Great" said Sam now half way down the grass bank.

Sam climbed back up the banking to safety and the bramble patch.  "Okay Lord" he challenged "I am not br'er rabbit, give me a break.   Where are you?  If your eye is on the sparrow, surely it can't miss me.

HELP!!!!!" 

"Nice one pal" muttered Sam utterly frustrated by his young son's total lack of concentration other than on something that literally grabbed his attention.  "Here have my coat".

Thirty minutes passed and the cold started to seep through Sam's thin shirt.   Oh boy - where is that emergency service I will have frozen to death by the time it gets here they'll need an ambulance as well.

And the still small voice said "put your arm in one sleeve and your other arm around the boy with his arm in the other sleeve and hold him close."

Job - 34 - 29

When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble.?

Forty minutes later the Rescue Service arrived.   "Ah!!!!  said the man "you're chirpy.   Sorry about the delay we had the wrong motor way."

Sam struggled stiffly down the banking and got into the driver's cab.   "Flask of coffee in there sir - help yourself and we'll have this baby on the road in no time"

Unfortunately the mechanic did not appear to know why the car had suddenly slid to a halt and it was loaded on to the recovery vehicle and dumped unceremoniously on Sam's driveway.   At least they were safely home.

Sam considered it could have been worse.   Snow, fog, freezing rain after all it was still mid winter.

He glanced down at his young son, a child who was always somewhere else in space, losing coats, bags, possessions.    It's my fault thought Sam before we set out on any journey on the motor way we should be prepared especially in the winter.   One spade, one huge bar of chocolate, two blankets and a flask of hot coffee, nuts, crisps and a few bottles of water.  

"Right" said Joanne "what have I told you about your coats, you could have been in serious trouble."

"Its over now" said Sam "we're safely home.   Hey that roast lamb smells lovely"   

Later that night as the kids slept soundly Joanne said "Strange, that's the third unexplainable incident this week.  What do you think the Lord is doing Sam.?"  

"No idea" replied Sam "but with everything that has gone wrong I was beginning to feel like Job"

Sam grinned "it could just have been old nick trying to block this, or perhaps I was being tested."

"Then perhaps we had better pray PLAN B" said Joanne "but now we have no transport and that will be the first job tomorrow to organise four wheels."

The following morning Sam climbed into the driving seat turned the key and the engine started without a problem.

Job 34 - 29

And when He hides His face,

who then can see Him,

Whether it is against a nation

or man alone?

SHALOM