Tender Mercies of the Lord

I have decided to dedicate this blog to all the amazing experiences I have had in my life.  I've used many of these experiences in talks I've given over the years, but I would like to share them with the world; because they are My world, and they are what have shaped me.  Forgive me for my indulgence, but I love these stories.  I hope you do, too.

PLEASE BLESS MY CAR

While living in Boston, I had a job downtown that required me to drive to Lechmere Square, take the Greenline to Harvard Square and switch to the Redline to get to my office.  This was not a problem for me.  I always enjoyed the colorful characters I would meet each day on my way to work via the train and subway.

During the blizzard of '78, my office finally opened after many days closed.  The snowdrifts were piled high along the sides of the tiny Boston streets, crowding the usual two lanes into one.  When I finally arrived at Lechmere, I was 10 minutes later than I usually am, and dismayed to find no parking spaces.  I drove around for several minutes, hoping someone would pull out, but there was nothing.  And then I saw it.  One space in between 2 cars.  It was tiny, but I knew I could maneuver my 1967 mustang into it.  Quickly and carefully, I pulled in.  I sighed a sigh of relief, but then noticed a sign directly in front of me.  It read, "NO PARKING.  All violators will be towed."  Oh man.  I debated.  Should I just drive home, or should I stay parked?  In the distance, I saw the Greenline coming.  Impulsively I jumped out of the car and  ran to catch the train.  Settling in my seat, I looked back at my little mustang and said a prayer under my breath:  "Dear Heavenly Father, please bless my car."

I didn't think much of my car after that.  After work, it was dark.  Many of the cars in the parking lot were gone now, but mine remained.  As I crossed the street to get into my car, a man from the gas station across the street came running out. 

 "Is that your car?"  He yelled.  

"Yes", I said.  

"Well, you are never going to believe what happened this afternoon.  A tow truck came and tried to tow your car.  They couldn't get it to budge.  They must have tried 20 minutes before giving up.  So they towed the car next to you.  Then they came back and tried yours again.  It still wouldn't move, so they towed the car on the other side of you.  They came back and tried to tow your car AGAIN, but it wouldn't move, so they left."

I sat in my car amazed at what I heard.  I'm not advocating that people should just park their car wherever they want and pray over it; but I do know that the Lord judged my heart and answered a heart felt prayer.  He knew that my husband and I were poor college students trying to work our way through school.  He also knew that if our car was impounded, we would not have the money to set it free, so to speak.  And so He judged in my favor.

When I think of this tender mercy from the Lord, I am reminded of the prophet Elisha and his servant in the Old Testament, when they found themselves surrounded by the enemy one morning.  The servant was dismayed (to say the least)  and said to Elijah, "Oh master, how shall we do?"  Elisha's words resonate with me: " Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."  The servant's eyes were then opened and he saw a multitude of horses and chariots ready in their behalf. (2 Kings 6:17)

Going back to my mustang in the Lechmere parking lot, I can just see a few of the heavenly hosts holding tightly onto my car, keeping it from being towed.  It was a tender mercy of the Lord I will never forget.