Today is January – Friday the 13th. I know there is a lot of superstition attached to any Friday the 13th. In fact, horror movies have been based around that date as an omen of bad luck. As a child, I was fascinated by superstition. I even tended to believe them and allow them to dictate my behavior. Not so as an adult. Superstitions are fun to joke about, but I don’t put any trust or belief in them.
My morning of January, Friday the 13th unfolded in a manner in which those who are superstitious would say was caused, in fact, by the date alone. You see this morning, on my drive to work. A deer stepped out on the highway in my lane of travel. Just a few days ago, I was commenting that in all of my years of driving, I have never struck a deer.
Today I was humbled. The deer stepped into my lane, and while I swerved to miss her, she still ran into the back-passenger side of my car. Perhaps it was my gloating that led to the end of my deer-free streak. Maybe it was simply the time of day and time of year. Oddly enough, I did leave 5 minutes earlier than I normally would for work. So, yes, timing makes a difference. Timing is everything. Had I left the house as I normally would at 6am rather than 5:55am, I would have likely never seen that deer.
In many cultures and religions, the deer symbolizes grace. I remember spending time with a friend, who happens to be a religious sister, who told me that the deer represents grace. That was a day when together we had seen three of them on a walk in the woods. A deer representing grace, three of them reminded me of the trinity; there was a great deal of symbolism in that moment. At that time in my life, I think God was trying to get my attention because I wasn’t grounded in my faith; I wasn’t pursuing a relationship with Him. And God reaches out to us in so many ways that we oftentimes miss His message.
Today’s experience with a deer was different. And I will admit, I hope she survived our collision and was not injured. In assessing the damage to my car, which was minimal – just a scratch – I would think that she is just fine, probably just as startled as I was and maybe a little banged up. But the near accident was most definitely filled with God’s grace. It could have been disastrous for both the deer and me.
Therefore, Friday the 13th is not a day of bad luck but rather a day of good luck. I could have been involved in a serious accident. I could have totaled my car, injured myself, and inadvertently killed one of God’s most beautiful and gentle creatures. But I didn’t. And I didn’t because of God’s grace.
This week has been extremely busy and extremely fruitful. I am trying to get things wrapped up both personally and professionally before I have shoulder surgery next week. I have been going at a breakneck pace, trying to get everything done. I think God was giving me a wake-up call and telling me to slow down. Everything will be accomplished…in His time.
So this morning, I slowed down. I said a prayer of Thanksgiving for all of the goodness in my life. It is evident everywhere. Through the people around me, the relationships that I have and the support that I am given, through the beauty of nature that I get to experience each day with beautiful sunrises, gentle rain showers, softly falling snow, and magnificent sunsets, through the gift of waking each day, breathing, and having the opportunity to do work that helps share God’s word and bring others to Christ; even through the near miss I had this morning. Maybe especially through the near miss. God’s grace is abundant.
So today, look for God’s grace in your life. How is He showing it to you? What is He asking of you? What gift is He trying to give you? And today, please pray for me, and I will continue to pray for you.
Tattoos, Motorcycles, Beer, Bourbon and Faith 