The NightWatchman

This morning, after I knew she was on her way to school, I started down the regular route to work, it was still before dawn, and the headlights needed to be on. As I drove along the river to my right that had a deep embankment, and the road curved sharply in and out of high rock ledges, I saw headlights coming at me before the vehicle actually made the curve; I got over as far as I could, and slowed down. It was a livestock truck, but it was in my lane, and I had nowhere to go, I closed my eyes, waiting for the impact. I heard a slight crack to my left, and saw the truck just going past me, and taking my side mirror off as it went; I looked out my rear view mirror to see it continue down the road. I knew who it was, he lived right in the town I was going to. He never stopped to see if I was alright, he kept on going. I started driving, it sunk in, just how close I came to being killed; again. As I kept driving, the several other times I’d come close to death went through my mind, this time the thought came to me “Why is God allowing this, and what does He want me to do?”

When I reached the mill I went upstairs to the supervisor’s office, told him what had happened, and that I needed to go home. He nodded, “Sure, see you tomorrow.”

When I got home, I went to the living room, took a book my sister had given me the last time she visited me, laid it on the stand next to me, and just sat looking out on the water for a long time.

Then I started reading the book. It was a paperback, and I was able to read most of it quickly. For the first time, it explained to me in terms I could easily understand, why Jesus had to come into this world, die on the cross, and what it meant to me. It explained the great love God the Father has for all people, how Adam and Eve’s sin separated them from God, and that their sin passed down to all of us, to this day. It explained clearly we are all born in sin-because of their rebellion. Jesus came into this world to redeem us from the sin of Adam and Eve, and his sacrifice paid the sin debt for every one of us. And, that He would have come, and died the same death, for only only one. When he rose from the grave, he conquered sin and death, and anyone who repents, asks for forgiveness and for Jesus to come into their heart and life; He will come in, and redeem them from the fall of our first parents. Then it said, Christ would come into our lives, and help us live for Him, and we can have a personal relationship with Him, as a child of God. This it explained, was what being “born again” meant.

I closed the book, tears were streaming down my face; I rarely cried. Then as I sat there in silence, I began to sense a Presence, that filled the house. I waited, and it became stronger, I knew I was not alone in the house. A tremendous surge from my soul rose up, and I spoke to this Presence, “Lord, I’ve done so many things wrong, so many sins, please forgive me. I believe in you Jesus, that you died for me, and I ask for you to come into my heart and life, and help me live for you.”

The Presence remained, in silence, and an overwhelming sense of peace overshadowed me. I looked at the clock, it was almost 11:30 in the morning; I fell asleep.

My eyes opened, and again I looked at the clock, it was past 3:30 p.m. The first thing I did, was say another simple prayer, “Lord, one thing I ask, would you please help me to want to keep on going. Please give me a reason to stay here, or take me home now. I’m so tired, and ready to go, if you don’t need me here.”

As soon as I finished this prayer, I looked out the living room window, to see Carrie coming up the driveway, dragging her book bag along behind her. I knew that prayer had been answered.