May 14 2021
Good afternoon.
” … we will all be changed, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye … ” I Corinthians 15: 51-52
A few weeks ago, Orvie Bowman was riding his bicycle along the side of the road, just north of Elmira. It is a busy road. It was during the day. He was struck by a vehicle, and was killed. He is survived by his wife and three children. He was working for MEDA ( Mennonite Economic Development Associates ) at the time of his death.
Last week, I was driving north out of Elmira on the same road . As you drive north there are two bends in the road before it heads more north. It was at dusk, and I think I was headed to see the Trillium on the Woolwich Dam Trail. At the second bend as it straightens out, I slowed down behind a black van. As I got nearer the van, I noticed I was passing a bicyclist. I was really close. I never saw him. It was slightly dark at dusk , and he had dark clothing on. He blended right into the black van. I did not have time to worry or think. It was over within the blink of an eye. Milliseconds, and just feet closer to the shoulder, and my life would be different today. It could have been another death.
Life is like that. Things just happen. Jesus performed miracles at random, in a wink of his eye. One of his disciples cut an ear off of another man in a moment of rage. God listens to our prayers in the brief moments that we say or think them. I did not have time to pray as I drove by this man on his bicycle.
PRAYER
You know every millisecond of our lives.
Thank you for walking with us,
even in tragedy,I
n every blinking of our eyelids.
Be with us tomorrow,
We need your presence. AMEN
Fred