A First

I had my first near-death experience while driving home tonight. I'm not sure why I'm blogging about it except that it's late, and I should be in bed, but I haven't stopped shaking yet. I was headed headed home from a concert about 11:30 p.m. this evening, driving southbound on a mostly deserted Bryant Irvin Road, going about 40 mph when a truck to my right, coming out of a neighborhood, barrelled past a stop sign right in front of me and across my path. In shock, I hit my brakes hard and swerved to the left, thinking surely he'd stop before coming all the way across both lanes, but I don't think he ever even paused. I ended up headed south on the northbound side of the divided road, which was blessedly deserted. I was able to turn my car around, get back on the correct side of the road and proceed home without incident. I've had a few close calls as far as car wrecks, but never one that I am certain would have done major damage if not killed me had it not be avoided. For years, I've joked about funeral arrangements and even blogged about what you're to do in case of my passing, but tonight, I've had opportunity to truly think about life (and death) and all the implications of so narrowly avoiding disaster. Strangely enough, when I got home, my roommates were watching "An Unfinished Life." My thoughts are still a little cluttered, but a few things stick out to me. One) I realized that I wasn't afraid of dying. There is a natural instinct for self-preservation, and I am thankful to live another day and have another opportunity to glorify the Lord, but there was no fear of death or eternity in those uncertain moments. (There was, however, great fear of totaling a nearly paid for car, and catastrophic medical bills!) Two) My days are numbered by the "Star Breather" (to use a Louie Giglio phrase), and today was not my last. Lord willing, tomorrow I will rise and have a fresh set of mercies to carry me through another set of opportunities. Three) Nothing is certain. Tonight, I worshipped at an amazing concert, praised the Lord for his abundant goodness and infinite wisdom. I stopped off at a bowling alley to see some friends for about half an hour, then headed up, checking this day off my mental calendar and thinking about the next one. How strange it was to realize that all of my planning for tomorrow (and many days after that) may have been in vain. Four) There are things about my life that are "unfinished." There are people who still need to know that the Good News is for them, that they have a choice to make about Jesus. My laundry needs to be washed and put away. My sinks haven't been scrubbed this week. My journal is full of hopes for the future, but lacking in praises for today. And, there are a few people who might not know how much I love them. I'd better tell them one more time as soon as I can (though, it probably wouldn't feel like love if I called them at this hour!).
The psalmists words about life being but a vapor and passing so quickly have always facinated (and sometimes haunted) me. Even if you life a "full" seventy years, it's still short. I've still got a ways to go, I hope. I want to finish well.
I'll close this rambling with Psalm 4:8, "I both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, have caused me to dwell in safety."