15For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.16Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,18while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
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In Romans 8, we see some words of assurance that God is with us and that He is working actively in our lives:28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
And the great encouragement from the closing verses of the chapter:
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?36As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."37Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Patrick Merino Owens is a 17-year-old boy from Kings Mountain, North Carolina, near Charlotte, and he is thankful to be alive. He and his dad went hiking in the South Mountains State Park about a month ago, and went to the High Shoals Waterfall there. According to a report on the WNEM.com website, he climbed to the pools above the falls to do some swimming.
There are signs posted that say that swimming is not allowed, but he went anyway - he was caught in the current and dropped 90 feet over the falls, landing on the rocks below. Rescuers were amazed he survived, because several people had died in that location over the last 25 years.
Patrick is quoted as saying, "God was with us every step of the way and still is." His mother had feared the worst, but she is confident he will recover completely. She said, "He is a miracle."
Patrick broke bones from his head to his feet and has pins and rods holding the broken pieces together while they heal. At the time of the news story, he was using a walker and wheelchair. Doctors told him he should be able to walk on his own in just a matter of weeks, though full recovery will take some time.
He had planned to play football this year during in his senior year in high school. He had also hoped to join the Army, but that is now up in the air. But, he says, no matter what, he will move forward.
"I'm just grateful to be here." Patrick says.
I agree with Patrick - he recognizes that his life is a gift, and expressed his thankfulness for survival. And, he testified to the presence of God with Him to the news media. I know, we can make the correct assessment that he should not have gone in the water, should have heeded the signs. How true that is! And, how true it is also that there is a human tendency to ignore the signs that are in our lives. And, I would imagine there are some occurrences in your life that you can think back upon and say, "if only I had heeded the signs, things would be different." There are rules and boundaries that are placed before us for our protection and our instruction, including the principles of God that operate for our good and His glory. And, we do well to develop discernment to read the not-so-visible signs of warning, as well - perhaps the prompting of the Spirit in a particular situation.
So, don't be so hard on Patrick, because we probably have a few war stories in our own lives. But, isn't it great to know that we serve a God who doesn't leave us when we take the wrong course? I mean, really - He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, and we can know that He is walking with us. And, we have to be confident that when our lives go over a waterfall, figuratively speaking, and make a steep drop, He is the One who holds us in His hands. He is faithful, and when we can know and experience His love in the midst of our pain. In difficulty, maybe even of our own making, we can trust Him to strengthen us and direct the course of our lives.
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