A Million Times
By the end of my junior year in high school, I had already experienced several brushes with death. In fifth grade, I had a severe anaphylactic reaction to Noxema. My eighth grade year, I spent a little over a week in the ICU of Memorial Southwest Hospital. Though my parents initially thought I had pneumonia, the doctors discovered I had been poisoned by a corrupted batch of Albuterol we were using in my breathing treatments. Then, the Sunday before the end of Spring Break in 1997, I miraculously survived a massive car accident coming back home from College Station, Texas, where my brother and I had played a gig the night before.
That morning, my brother, Chris, our drummer and I all piled in Chris’ 1987 S10 Chevy Blazer to head back to Houston. Initially, I was riding in the left back seat, which didn’t have working seat belt. The Blazer was packed with all of our guitars and musical equipment, so much so that even the right back seat (which did have a working seat belt) was filled. Before we got on the highway, Chris briefly stopped at a friend’s house, and he and the drummer went inside. While sitting in the car alone, I “heard” what seemed to be a voice telling me to move all the equipment in the right seat to the left so that I could put on a seat belt. Though I had never experienced anything like that, the voice was telling me to obey the law and do something that is obviously wise. I moved everything in the right seat to the left, and buckled up.
A few minutes later we were cruising down Highway 6 at about 80mph. My brother was searching for a CD in his console, and drifted across the left lane’s gravel shoulder onto the grass. When he looked up and saw the large construction sign we were rapidly approaching, Chris swerved right and hit a minivan. We flipped three times across the highway, and ended up with the driver’s side door laying flush with the gravel shoulder on the right side of the road. People approached the crash site amazed that not only were we alive, but we crawled out of the side windows without serious injuries.
You would think that after so many unquestionable demonstrations of the mercy and faithfulness of God, I wouldn’t doubt His love and provision for me today. Yet, each morning my mind seems prone to wander and forget all that Jesus has done for me. Maybe that’s why I so love Patrick Mayberry’s song, A Million Times. It helps me remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
All You’ve ever been, all You ever will be
All You ever are is faithful, faithful
At least a million times I’ve seen it with my own eyes
All You’ve ever been is faithful, faithful
How has God shown you that He is mighty to save? Will you take the time to remember and respond with worship? Let the redeemed of the Lord tell of our faithful, faithful God!
Grace and peace,
Phil
