Today’s Post By: Rae Lynn DeAngelis
As my husband and I traveled along I-275 heading east and advanced towards the bridge leading into Kentucky, we saw a long line of traffic stopped along the bridge. Obviously there had been an accident of some sort, but what type of accident we had no idea. As we approached the police cars, fire trucks, and ambulance, it became evident – this was serious.
Nothing could have prepared Gerry and I for what we saw. Sandwiched between the many emergency vehicles and rescue workers could be seen the charred ruins of a semi-truck melted into a distorted heap of metal, and under it, the remains of another vehicle almost unrecognizable.
Traffic had been stopped for miles, and since the accident was on a bridge and there was no way for people to turn around, traffic was held up for hours. My heart sank into the pit of my stomach at the sudden realization; lives had been changed in an instant that day.
Later that evening our local news station reported that a 59 year old woman and her 18 year old daughter (for reasons that may never be known) had stopped in the of the middle of the bridge. One semi-truck swerved to miss the vehicle, but the second truck behind him didn’t have time to react and barreled into the car like it was a match box. The impact caused an explosion, melting both vehicles before fire workers were able to contain the flames.
It was a bold reminder to me how fragile life can be and how in an instant, life can be taken or changed forever. I thought about the woman and her daughter; I pictured them getting up that morning, having their morning coffee, getting ready for the day ahead, never realizing it would be their last. I wondered: Were they believers? Did they know Jesus? What about their loved ones left behind? I can’t imagine their pain. They didn’t get to say goodbye. They didn’t have time to prepare. The news would have been crushing blow to all those left behind. My heart aches for them. How tragic!
“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:13-14)
Life is fragile. We are not promised tomorrow. We have only today, only this moment, only one life to make an impact on this world and people around us. So… the question is… what are you doing with your day, your moment, your life?
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to be more proactive about living for today.
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’…” (Hebrews 3:13)
