Those “Freeze” Moments
By Roger Horwood, LCJE Coordinator for South Africa
Have you ever had one of those “freeze” moments? no, not in the snow but one of those moments when some incident seems to hit the pause button and everything is focused on that particular moment to the exclusion of all else? They can be great moments, like the first time I SCUBA dived with dolphins off Cape Town – all my mind can remember is two grey dolphins hesitating for about three seconds to take a look at me, eye-to-eye against the background of an azure sea before dipping below me to leave me behind – nothing else mattered at that moment and I gave thanks to God for that amazing privilege.
But some “freeze” moments can be bad experiences, like the first news of the death of a loved one, or an international event – I remember exactly what I was doing when my wife yelled at me to come and watch CNN as two passenger jets flew into the World Trade Center. How do we respond to such moments?
Sometimes we're too shocked or too proud to remember who holds our life in His Hand - but after the event, when we're saying "What on earth happened there?" that's the time we need to turn to God in our joy – or distress. Although we're not sure who wrote Psalm 116, the writer had obviously experienced a few “freeze” moments – listen to his response to them – “... the cords of death entangled me, the anguish of he grave came upon me, I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord; ‘O Lord save me!’” and the result? Well read the rest of the Psalm to see the graciousness of our God.
Roger Horwood
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