Marcia
Kinslow
Contributing Writer
Marcia Kinslow is a former CBN staff contributor to CBN.com.
More from Marcia Kinslow
More from Marcia Kinslow
Angels Watching Over Us
CBN.com I was preparing to return home after a visit with my sister who had surgery the week before. We tried to pack a lot into that day before the drive back to Virginia Beach. My sister surprised me in that we were going to see the play at Sight & Sound in Lancaster, PA, called “In the Beginning”. We made the hour long ride back to York, Pennsylvania, where I dropped my sister off at her home and headed home. It was getting late. I entered the Pennsylvania highway at 9:15 p.m. to begin the six hour drive home.
I remember my prayer vividly because I asked the LORD, “Please give your angels charge over me and put your angels at the four corners of my vehicle. Also, place the angels assigned to me in the vehicle with me and take me home safely I ask in Jesus’ name!”
I was looking forward to the drive because I had some very good praise and worship music I was going to play. It was sitting on the seat next to me. I placed a very upbeat CD by Fred Hammond in the player. I opened my mouth to sing along, but to my surprise I began praying in the spirit. I prayed with intensity not understanding what I was praying for. I had a sense that something very serious was taking place so I continued to pray. The traffic was moving quickly although the speed limit was 65 & 70 miles per hour on the interstate. I had no trouble keeping pace as I continued to pray.
After praying more than ten minutes, I shifted to praise & worship, because I sensed a release from praying so fervently. A driver was creeping up really close to my vehicle and seemed annoyed that I was not driving faster. I decided to move over to the left lane to get out of his way. He sped up and passed me. As he passed on the right, he was inches from the bumper of the car in front of him. He swerved into the left lane in front of me and lost control of his car.
I slowed my car and watched everything play out as if I were watching television on a wide screen. Praise the Lord for answered prayers. I’d not completely realized how important it was that I’d asked the Lord to send his angels when I first entered the highway. I experienced their protection first hand, as they kept my vehicle from becoming entangled in the accident.
When the driver lost control of his car, it hit the car to the right of him causing that car to spin sideways. It felt like my vehicle was being supernaturally held back a few feet from the accident. For what seemed minutes both cars were sideways in front of me on the two lane highway. The reckless driver spun his car around and began driving the wrong way on the highway and then his car went over the side of the road. I watched the tail end of his car as it appeared to flip over into the ravine. Immediately I pulled off the road onto the median on the side of the highway just before two tractor trailers sped by. It was a miracle that the semis weren’t involved in the accident as well because they were dangerously close. Everything on my passenger seat went crashing to the floor.
I reached for my phone to call 911 but couldn’t find it; the phone had slid under the console. I was shaking, but during the whole ordeal I had incredible peace. I got out of the car trembling. I called across the street and asked where the guy was that was in the car that went over the side. They pointed out to me that he had not flipped but had driven back up the ravine and was walking toward the car he’d hit to exchange driver information. The reckless driver glared at me. I had an impression that he had been drinking. In retrospect, no one was injured, just shaken. The only damage was to the vehicles.
I realized my prayer was for the lives of the people whose car was hit by the drinking driver and for his life as well. I was grateful the Lord answered the prayer and that His Angels were in fact, watching over us!
Don't Be Crippled by the Fall of Others
CBN.com In
(NIV), we read the following story:“Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled. His name was Mephibosheth.”
When the news came to the nurse that Jonathan and King Saul were overtaken and killed, great fear rose up in up in her. Fear can be demoralizing and paralyzing in many ways. In her heart, this nurse no doubt wondered, if they killed the King and his son, would they come looking for his heirs? She picked Mephibosheth up to flee for their lives, and like most little five-year-olds, his legs were not equipped to move as fast as an adult.
In her haste while running, he fell -- due to her fear. He became crippled and lame in his feet at that very moment. Looking back, had the nurse called on God in her moment of crisis and received His peace, knowing that He was watching over her, Mephibosheth may not have become crippled. Praise the Lord that today we can know Him and call on Him!
Perhaps there is some situation in your life that’s making you feel crippled at this moment. Or maybe someone -- a friend, co-worker or family member -- is holding you back or hindering your ability to move forward. You may even be surrounded by people who have fallen prey to drugs, alcohol or other addictions – and it’s threatening to pull you down, too.
You can probably name many ways that people fall. But has it caused your walk with the Lord to become crippled? Has it caused you to feel inadequate or not worthy of fulfilling the call and plan of God for your life? Has the fall of others caused you distress or even depression?
The Lord does not want us to be crippled by the fall of others, or by a personal fall in your own life. Don’t let others’ misfortune, lifestyle changes, addictions and problems cause you to become crippled -- or to even fall yourself!
In
we see how Mephibosheth had fallen. In we learn David inquires if there is still anyone left alive from the house of Saul, to show kindness in Jonathan’s honor. David remembered the covenant that Jonathan made with him in . Although, his father the king had issues with David, Jonathan’s soul was knit to David. So David wanted to be faithful to that covenant because of his love for Jonathan.The story continues and Ziba, who was a servant of the house of Saul, tells King David of Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. David sends for Mephibosheth and restores to him the land of his grandfather King Saul and invites him to eat at the king’s table. What an honor and a privilege! For Mephibosheth, this is an open invitation for him to live as if he is an heir.
When David invited Mephibosheth to eat at his table we see the picture of coming to the Lord’s Table. The LORD gives us an open invitation to His table to dine with HIM. Although we don’t always feel worthy, when we confess our faults, the Lord is always so willing to forgive and to forget. He wants to restore our connection to him, no matter what’s happened in the past.
Let us not be crippled by the fall and failure of others. And let us not look back at our own failures as if they have not been forgiven. Come to the King’s table and know that in HIS presence, we are not handicapped or crippled -- we are HIS! We are the King’s family.