Christian Living

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The Mind Of God
©
by

Stephen A. Peterson


The traffic in Oklahoma City has been getting heavier and heavier over the past seven years. On the way to work from Shawnee, I glanced at the clock—7:21 AM. I was more than 10 miles into Oklahoma County with 32 more miles to go with 39 minutes left to be on time for work. Reaching the city limits of Midwest City, a suburb or Oklahoma City, I was roughly 18 miles from work when traffic slowed to a foot by foot movement due to a multiple car accident somewhere up ahead. Oh well, what can I do. I can’t get off the highway. May as well have something to eat. I kept one hand on the steering wheel as I reached for a bottle of orange juice, a blueberry bagel, a small container of strawberry cream cheese and a plastic knife. Having come to a complete stop, I noticed a young family with two small children, a mother handing one of the children, a little girl, a donut and a tired looking father trying to drive in this now non-moving traffic. I took the biggest bite I could out of the blueberry—cream cheese bagel and recalled how it was driving on a major highway with small, often crying or uncomfortable children. It was always a challenge.

Ten minutes later still bumper to bumper travel, I noticed an elderly, gray haired man in the car to my left. The elderly man spoke so loud that I was able to hear his voice. He appeared to be complaining about something. The younger woman driving the car merely shook her head seemingly in agreement with whatever it was that he was saying or maybe not saying. He appeared to be incoherent and he did not seem to have command over his body—particularly his voluntary muscular movements.

In these two situations being acted out before me reminded me of my past and the possibility of my future. I realized that I am closer to the latter than the former. But at this moment, the gift of good health, the ability to think, awareness and the ability to breathe without the aid of a mechanical device to help me is a blessing. How fortunate I am at this time! For a short instance, I imagined myself on the wings of an eagle high above the earth flying free of the bounds of earth. Even though there is an accident up ahead and the traffic slowed to a halt, all is good because God is in control—of all the messes and other human boo-boos. I came to think about an earlier time when the world’s people were absent of the knowledge and awareness of God. A time when the gods of human conscientious ruled in a spirit of chaos, uncertainty and rule of the jungle violence. Soon the traffic along interstate 40 moved on slowly and soon I was able to speed up to 60 miles per hour.

I will try to remember this moment when I am home in the busy rush of my life, hurrying toward a work deadline, shopping in crowded stores or in attendance of a professional conference or seminar. I will let the moment come alive by focusing and observing the sights, smell, sounds and events that occur around me. I will attempt to attend to and notice life’s events good or bad, certain or uncertain. And as my physical being grows older, the bones ache and my energy wanes, I will take it all in or as much of it as I am able knowing Whose hand sustains me!

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