Out of Control

On Monday, Jason and I joined a group from our church to help some new members get all of their belongings moved.  The family has had their stuff in storage for over a month now while they were looking for a house.  The housing situation finally worked out last week, so we scheduled a moving day on Monday since a lot of us had off work.  We figured with that many people and vehicles, the move shouldn't take too long. (At least that was our reasoning. . .)

We had just dropped off the first huge trailer load.  Not only did we have our trailer packed full, but the back of the Xterra was piled high as well.  After unloading all of that, we headed back to the storage trailer to pick up the next load.  We hadn't made it five minutes down the road when the trailer pin decided to pop out.  I don't know what exactly happened or when the pin popped loose.  All I know is that we were descending a rather steep hill when the trailer began to sway violently back and forth, in between the times it collided with the back of the Xterra.  To say I was scared would be an understatement.  I watched in the mirror as the trailer collided and swayed, totally out of control.  Praise the Lord that there was no other traffic on the road at that point.

Jason kept the vehicle under control and used his wits to get us stopped and off the road.  He had assumed that the trailer had popped off the hitch, but when we got out, we discovered the missing pin.  We had been dragging the trailer by nothing more than a chain.  Needless to say, I was doing a bit of shaking.  We were able to flag down some of the other church members and devise a temporary pin that we prayed would get us to a hardware store.  It did, and the rest of the day presented no further problems.  I've told you this many times, but there is really never a dull moment for us.  I don't know what it is!

As I think back to that swaying trailer, I'm reminded of myself.  Out of control.  Uncertain which direction to go.  Colliding with the obstacles in front of me.  A mess, to be sure.  But I'm also reminded of how God can help to set me straight.  When the trailer was joined to the Xterra, Jason had no trouble maintaining control.  The trailer went where it was supposed to go and did what it was supposed to do.  But on its own, it didn't fare so well (and neither did the back of my poor Xterra).  I'm the same way.  When I abide with God, I go where I'm supposed to go and do what I'm supposed to do.  On my own, however, I don't fare so well.  I'm out of control.

I never ceased to be amazed at the many ways God teaches and reminds me of His Word.  Whether it be a spider, a piece of bread or an out-of-control trailer, spiritual lessons abound in this world in which we live.  Pay attention today to the things going on around you.  They may seem ordinary (or not, in the case of the trailer), but God can use them to show you great things.  Just be warned, sometimes they may scare the daylights out of you!

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. - John 15:5