03.16.06

Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband. - Ruth 1:1-5.

Kevin Nicolle (25-years-old), who lives in England, had a very frightening experience but thankfully he lived to tell about it. What happened? The accelerator on his BMW stuck and for 60 miles, he thought he was going to die. 

Kevin called the emergency number and said exactly that, "I’m going to die!" 

He at first used his brakes to keep the car’s speed down to about 70 mph. But as the brakes burned out, the speed increased to 100 mph and eventually a top speed of 140 mph before the car crashed. The car flipped ending up on its top, trapping Kevin but they were able to cut him out and he was able to walk away with only bruises. 

Speaking of his 30-minute ordeal Kevin said, "I felt like I had been strapped on to a rocket. I was absolutely terrified. I was missing cars by inches."

Kevin’s life was temporarily out-of-control but it really was not his fault. It just happened and he was suddenly on the ride of his life. It was a terrifying experience that he will try for the rest of his life to avoid having again.

There are at least two types of out-of-control lives and I will write about the other type tomorrow. Kevin’s ordeal portrays well the first type. It is the type that was experienced by Naomi, and her daughters-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah. They were in the midst of a severe famine and first Naomi’s husband died and then the two sons. There was nothing to do to prevent the disaster. It was also experienced by Daniel and his friends who were taken captive by the Babylonians. Daniel and his friends had done nothing to personally provoke the Babylonians yet they were still taken captive and carried off to a foreign country. Sometimes our lives become like a speeding car with the accelerator stuck. It happens simply because it happens - there is nothing that we could have done to prevent the rapidly approaching crash.

Kevin did the right things in the midst of his out-of-control terror filled ride. He did call for help and the police did try to clear his way and when he crashed they were immediately there to help cut him out of the vehicle. Naomi and Ruth did the right thing too. Naomi was returning to her home but more importantly to her God. Ruth was not to be discouraged from also following Naomi. 

We see the sincerity, of Ruth as she cries to her mother-in-law, "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me (Ruth 1:16-17)."

The commitment of Naomi and Ruth to God allowed God to work in their lives to put things back together. They not only lived but they thrived. Naomi became the great-great-grandmother (not by blood but in effect *), and Ruth  was the great-grandmother of King David.

Daniel also experienced God picking up the pieces and putting them back together. Because of his faithfulness, Daniel and his friends rose to positions of power in the country of their captivity.

You may be in the midst of a terrifying out-of-control ride in your life. If so, cry out to God, because He is the One who can help you. You may still have a crash but He can help you pick up the pieces and help you to go on with living life to the fullest extent possible.