Waiting With the Word

It's been said that God's timing is perfect, and the Bible reminds us that His ways are higher than our own.  So, in our times of waiting, we can trust in the Scriptures, we can apply ourselves to seeking
Him and trusting in the Lord. That's the reminder from the 130th Psalm:
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning-- Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord; For with the Lord there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption.

We may tend to feel that we are alone in our times of waiting - the enemy would want us to think that He is not with us, that He is not concerned, that He does not want to help.  But, even when we may not recognize it, we can know that He is working all things together for good.  James 1 reminds us that the trying of our faith brings patience.  So, as we wait, we can see an opportunity to develop greater devotion to the Scriptures and build up our faith.

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Our interaction with the Word of God can bring hope and clarity to our lives, and we can be
motivated to reach out for His truth. Romans 15 states:
1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.
3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me."
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

It was a rainy day in North Carolina's Surry County, and teenager Macy Smith was driving to visit a friend.  The rain was heavy and her car began to hydroplane, according to WXII Television, which reported that, "Smith’s car hydroplaned and flipped over before going down a ravine... Smith’s arm ended up pinned under the vehicle and she says the only thing she could touch was her Bible. She says she knew that her phone’s Find My Friends App was activated, but she couldn't find her phone after the crash."

Macy relates:

“As I laid there I thought that it was the end for a minute. In the very beginning, I was like, ‘What if they never find me? What if the location doesn’t pick up? What if I don’t have good service? All these different things were running through my mind and I never really thought that it was the end because I knew, honestly, I knew that with the Bible laying beside my head, it meant that I was going to be okay.”

She waited and waited for family to come, using the app to locate her.  Finally around 10:00 that night, help arrived - her family had communicated with 911, and rescue crews were dispatched.  Macy says, "Since the second I laid my hand no [sic] that Bible I knew that that was God telling me that it was all in his hands and it was happening for a reason and that I would be okay.”

The television station reports that, "Smith was in the hospital for about five days. She has a fractured neck and nerve damage in her left arm. She has a long road to recovery ahead of her."

Macy warns against "...Sneaking around or not telling your parents where you are..." She says, "If you had been through what I’ve been through you would never say that you didn’t want that app," referring to Find My Friends. The family is now using Life360 because it has more features.
Reflecting on her experience, Macy Smith says:

“I definitely feel like God spared my life for a reason. I don’t know what that reason is. I don’t know if it was to show that I’m loved and I’m cared for and I’m going to do big things or if it’s what I’m doing right now and maybe this exact moment or this interview is going to save a life or more than one.”

Certainly something to be said for responsible cell phone use and parental involvement. Macy's mother says, regarding the Find My Friends app: "...my stance was if I’m paying the bill for the cell phone I want to at least have this and then if something were to happen, I would know where you are, it’s not an invasion of your privacy, it’s really more for your safety and that was really how we approached that."

The presence of the Bible kept Macy at peace and instilled a sense of hope.  This can provide a powerful reminder for each of us: God's Word can be a source of strength for us.  When there is seemingly nothing else to reach for, we can reach out to His Word and receive hope and assurance.

Macy related that she felt God saved her "for a reason."  Admittedly, she doesn't know what that is, but she did speculate a bit.  Ultimately, and we can all agree that if we are here on this earth, as long as there is breath in our lungs, there is meaning for us.  We can be confident and reflect on God's purpose, especially if you have emerged from a life-threatening situation.