My three girls were used to me slamming on my brakes, backing up, jumping out of the car, dashing into the road, snatching up a turtle and carrying it to the safety of the nearby ditch. They weren’t always happy about my turtle rescues (especially as teenagers) but they were not surprised when it happened.
Last weekend, I was hurrying to meet one of my daughters two hours away for a grandbaby handoff. I passed a sign saying something about a road closed ahead. I kept driving because who closes a road without putting up a roadblock? Cars were ahead of me and cars were coming in the opposite direction so the closed road must not be the one I was on, right? Wrong. After 20 minutes of driving down the one-lane highway, cars were stopped.
There was a truck, a man and an orange flag.
Road closed.
I will spare you the details – unless you ask – about me weaving in and out of stopped 18-wheelers and flying down a dirt road (with warning signs of water on the road.) And pick up the story where…
I could see the highway ahead of me as I came around a bend in the now muddy road. I was almost there! But there was a truck pulled over and a young man standing next to it. I looked at his tires and thought they were flat – until I realized they were bogged down in mud.
I rolled down my window as I approached and asked the young man if he had help coming.
“No, ma’am. I was trying to get back to college but the road is closed so I turned down this road and two 18-wheelers were coming at me and I drove into the ditch not knowing it was muddy. Do you have a strap to pull my truck out?” he replied.
I told him I didn’t have straps but I would take him to the next town where he could get help.
I could tell he was thinking about my offer before he said, “There was a farm house back up the road with a truck in the back yard. I can go back there and see if they can pull me out.”
I was about to say “Good luck. It’s not far to walk,” when I looked down and saw the moccasin house shoe looking things on his feet. He was wearing a t-shirt from a Christian University and he looked lost and alone so I said, “Get in. I’ll give you a ride to the farmhouse.”
Relief flashed across his face.
I drove him to the farmhouse on the side of the highway – the closed highway – and he got out as he thanked me profusely and apologized for the mud he got on my floor mats. I told him I’d wait.
The farmhouse was dark. He knocked. He waited. Finally, a woman who looked to be about 90 years old and using a walker answered the door. She wasn’t going to be pulling my college roadside pickup out of the mud. But she was very talkative. I waited.
This isn’t going to work, I thought, so I jumped out of my car and as a big F-250 truck with construction looking stuff sticking out the back approached, I stood on the side of the road and flapped my arms – which is the international language for “STOP! COME HELP ME!”
The truck’s brake lights lit up as it passed me. By the time the truck came to a stop, it had traveled another 150 yards down the highway but it got over onto the shoulder and started backing up. I looked over at the farmhouse and my college boy was still talking to granny. I was afraid the truck driver would change his mind and drive off so I yelled at the college boy.
“Hey! I got a truck for you!”
He turned around and started to walk to me – a little bit of shock on his face.
“No! Run to the truck!” I said as I pointed down the highway.
He hesitated a second. Maybe he had never experienced a grandmother flag down a truck on the highway and yell at him to run to it – but off he went in his moccasin house shoes.
He talked to the guys in the truck and I could see them nodding and moving over to make room for him. He turned around and gave me the two thumbs up sign. Whew! He was rescued so I continued on my journey with only one other detour.
I hope my turtle – I mean – college boy made it back to college okay. I wish I had given him my cell number and told him to let me know he was okay but I had a good feeling he would be.
So, why do I tell you this long story? Well, I might rescue turtles and college boys when they are in danger or need, but Jesus wants to rescue us.
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you. Psalm 143:9
Who are my enemies? My enemies have been doubt, emotional wounds, pride, grief, painful situations, bad relationships – to name a few. Every time an “enemy” threatens me, I hide myself in Jesus by reading my Bible and spending time in worship. As I focus on Him and the truths in his Word, my enemies flee.
But the Lord will redeem (rescue) those who serve him.
No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. Psalm 34:22
Has God ever rescued you? Do you need Him to rescue you? Comment below. I want to celebrate your rescue or pray for you if you are in need of rescuing.