Steve L. Edwards

I have a little story that I need to share.

For background, I’ve been working in the same shop for thirteen years now, commuting from Kennesaw to Duluth and almost every day of those thirteen years.

My spiritual life has always been there, but there have been times when I’ve been very close to despair, and have even wondered if the Lord was even real.

One of those times came nearly a year ago now.  Life was being tough (as it is often). I got to the point at work that day where I needed a break.  I walked out in front of the building and looked up into the sky and said “Lord, I’m struggling here!  My faith is shaken, and I have to know something.  See, I’m beginning to wonder what I believe.  Do you exist? If you do, I can’t help but wonder, did you just set things in motion–a kind of set it and forget it like in the commercial–or do you still play an active role in our lives today?  Do you still actually make things happen, or is that a thing of the past?  Please help me, Lord, because my faith feels like it’s at a crossroads, and I don’t know where it’s going to go from here.”

It was the same afternoon, sitting in traffic on the way home from work, that I noticed a motorcyclist, in a helmet that covered his face, who seemed like he really wanted me to pull over.  This kind of situation most Atlantans know happens from time to time when someone gets really ticked off at something you’ve done in traffic.  I *always* ignore those people, because if you don’t it’s a good way to end up dead!

The cyclist was very animated and very intent on getting my attention.  At first I thought he just needed to get into my lane, so I slowed down to let him over.  The crazy cyclist swung over in front of me, and thinking I was going to the side like he was trying to get me to do, he pulled over.  I passed by slowly, not sure if he was going to swing back in front of me again and not wanting to get into an accident.  When the cyclist realized I wasn’t pulling over, he swung back into traffic and started even more frantically motioning me to pull over.

I racked my brain to figure out what traffic faux pas I had done, but couldn’t think of any, and something told me that, for the first time in my life, I needed to pull over and figure out what this was about.  I knew it was a bad idea, but when the cyclist pulled into an abandoned lot, I found myself pulling into it behind him.  I really didn’t know what to expect.  I got out and stood next to my car with the door open and the engine running, ready to try to make a break for it, but for some reason feeling at peace with being there right at that moment.  The thought crossed my mind that I could be about to die, but I still waited.

The cyclist had his back to me, and slowly pulled off his gloves and placed them on the seat of the motor cycle.  I was even more nervous, but still didn’t make a bolt for it.  As he pulled off his helmet, I still was unsure, until he walked over to me threw his arms around my neck.  The cyclist was Jeff, an old friend I used to play in the worship band with many years before.

In the thirteen years, even though I have worked within ten miles of Jeff most of that time, never once had I known it.  On that day, it had been at least seven years since I’d stepped foot into Woodstock Community Church, and even longer since I had played in the worship band with him or even seen him a single time. 

We talked for two or three minutes after embracing, then got back on the road and went our separate ways.  It wasn’t until I got home that I realized that the odd circumstance was a direct answer to my prayer.  Not only did the Lord still play an active role in the world we live in, but he had taken the time that afternoon to pull me over, hug my neck, and remind me of the fact.

Close to a year has passed now.  This last week I had some extremely high stress things going on, that had me worked into a pretty good lather.  Things that could be drastic life changes, or could mean acceptance of situations that I wasn’t sure how to deal with were taking place.  As usual, I was in my car, commuting home, praying, trying to figure out what it was that I was supposed to do.  What plans did I need to make?  What contingency plans in the event that those ones failed? 

I pulled through the stop light, and as I glanced through my passenger window, a motorcyclist was sitting next to me.  I could only see his mouth under the helmet, but he nodded once, and gave me a reassuring smile and a single wave, then was gone.

I was at peace.  I know, I know, it was a coincidence that was bound to happen.  But the timing of it was too perfect to be ignored.  To me it was as if the Lord were saying remember me?  I’m still here, I’m right next to you.  You already know I’m not just an observer of the world.  I’m in control.  Quit worrying and leave things with me, I won’t let you down.

Sometimes life seems to have no way out.  Sometimes we’re presented with what seems like impossible situations.  But it’s in those moments of greatest quandry, and when there is the greatest potential for despair, that it’s critical that we remember that the Lord is still there.  He knows what’s going on.  He sees the big picture, and he cares about even your inner turmoil. 

And He WILL answer.  You just have to be paying attention when He does.