Not Alone in the Car

I was driving along and I made a mistake that many people have also made. I wanted to turn left across two lanes of traffic. The driver of the car in the closest lane stopped very courteously to let me turn. He signaled me to turn, so I assumed that he knew that both lanes were clear.

So, I started my turn, and as I got to the second lane, I saw a truck barreling down on me. I was so thunderstruck that I panicked and was paralyzed, unable to do anything but look into the horrified face of the man driving the truck who was trying desperately to stop his vehicle. He was so close that I could see the tracery of the grill of his truck.

Suddenly, I felt a pressure on my right feet, pushing the accelerator down and my car launched into the parking lot. The truck missed me by mere inches. I hit my brakes, and pulled to the side, out of the way of any other cars trying to access the bank where I was headed.

The thought of killing someone or causing them great physical and emotional pain was so appalling to me that I could do nothing but cry. After about five minutes, I pulled into a parking space about ten cars from any of the other cars, and I went and conducted my business.

Then, I thought about the pressure on my feet. I had believed in angels before that day, and that belief was strengthened.

At a woman’s retreat in the Poconos in Pennsylvania, I talked to a young woman about why I did not drive. She told me that she always thanked God for the assemblage of angels inside and outside her car. Well, that sounded a little silly to me. Yet, when I finally learned to drive at age 50 and bought my first car for me to drive, I started the habit of repeating her words.

I had learned that the words of Joshua 1:9 were true, that God will be with us wherever we go, when I got lost in Madrid, Spain after midnight. When I prayed for guidance on finding my hotel, I felt a presence say, “Turn 180 degrees.” I did, saw a light glowing in the darkness, followed it, and found my hotel. So, I am convinced that we are never alone. My identity as a Christian is built on this belief, as well as my blog’s name.

It was the strangest thing. I promise you it was not me, for I did not know what to do. I learned not to trust other drivers but to slowly move forward and look for myself. But, I also learned that I am not alone in the car. Whether you believe in angels or not, there are some things that cannot be explained by human logic. I thank God for the angels who encamps around those who fear Him, and deliver them (Psalm 34:7).

Ragtag prompt is Tracery. Word of the Day is Identity. Your Daily Prompt is Assemblage.