Luke 15:20 – And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. (ESV)

Recently, I went for a walk in the park with my wife, Caroline, and I fell over. This left me with significant injury, but not enough to go to hospital where I would be told nothing was broken except my pride! So, my body is not as young and indestructible as it once was, and it seems I have taken that capacity for granted.

Having asked for prayer from our church prayer groups, there was nothing else I could do but sit still in a chair watching the television and praying that I would heal quickly.

Now, I am still in recovery, but better; once more designated to be the children's taxi service, and Caroline has gone off to work to have her thoughts directed elsewhere.

Previous experience tells me that when we have a significant crisis, our thought horizon collapses from the things to do, to just wondering how to get through the day free from pain. Perhaps, as I lay on the ground stunned and surprised, this was a prompt for me to realise just how serious this incident could have been, as I found my body could not jump back up to my feet.

I wondered: had God allowed this accident? Was I guilty of something to deserve this imposition? Probably lots of things! But God is not like that; He is greater than our limited, deterministic vision. He does not deride the foolish but waits for us to come to our senses. The evil one is the being who seeks to harm and ridicule, and to promote and amplify our fear and doubt. He it is who presses in on our own internal sense of inadequacy or human weakness. Life happens in a fallen world.

So now, I thank God for His grace in my recovery as He answered the prayers prayed for me with healing, as I sit motionless watching television. I know that one day in a future crisis, healing will not happen. It will be a predicament from which I will not get up, and it will be time to go.

Today as I get better, I am thankful that apart from the injury to my pride, I have nothing to fear from Jesus. Even when I have been a long way off, I have been prompted to seek His face. Jesus meets us where we are, at our point of crisis, to bring His love, affirmation, peace, and guidance — a voice to deliver us from the whispers of evil.

Being accepted and a part of the family of Jesus is a wonderful mystery for us to trust.

Prayer: Lord, we give You thanks and praise for Your faithfulness, that in our times of crisis You are waiting. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.