WHO SAYS, GOD DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE

As I drove along a very straight but narrow highway in Serbia, Yugoslavia, in the passenger seat sat the legally blind bishop, and in the back seat sat a paraplegic pastor with his wife. Several days before, the regional communist party chief summoned me to his office. He wanted to know why I was there and what I was going to do. I did not hide anything and told the truth. I told him that I was a preacher and had been invited there to speak to several congregations. He graciously gave me permission to preach as long as I did not say anything against the communist party.

As my passengers and I chatted we came up behind a tanker truck and seeing no oncoming traffic I pulled out into the passing lane. Just as the right front end of my car came alongside the left rear wheels of the tanker, the driver suddenly moved over into the passing lane. I threw on my brakes and pulled to the left to avoid a collision. However, because the road was so narrow, I ran out of room because there was no shoulder, and just as his tires were about to hit my vehicle, my left front wheel dropped over the edge of a 15-foot down-slope lined with trees along a stream at the bottom. My car could have easily rolled over, but just as we started down the incline, it was as if an invisible pair of hands took hold of mine on the steering wheel and guided us safely to a level spot between the road, the ditch, and the trees.

When my car came to a stop, we all started to breathe again and began praising the Lord for His protection. I was able to drive along the stream until I could pull back up on the road and continue our journey to where I was scheduled to preach that night. Although we were in somewhat of a shock, we talked more about how God saved us from an accident than we did about the truck driver pulling over and causing us to leave the road in such a desolate place.

The little barn that had been converted into a church was packed with over 100 people. Their passionate praises in song touched my heart. I spoke through an interpreter, and at the close of my sermon, I gave the altar call. Several stood up to receive Christ as their Savior. But when one particular lady stood up, the whole congregation broke into tears and started magnifying God with praise. I didn’t know who she was or why the congregation responded so emotionally to her responding to the invitation to be born again.

After the service, the bishop came to me with a look of elation. He said excitedly, “The woman, who stood up tonight to be born again, is the wife of the communist party chief you saw in order to get permission to preach!” We rejoiced in the Lord as I wondered what her husband would say when she went home and told him what happened. That the preacher he allowed to speak was the one God used to bring her to Christ.

On our trip back to the town where we were staying, I noticed that on both sides of the road there were 30ft high trees planted about 15 feet apart running along the stream. That caused me to wonder how it was that I missed those trees after we went off the road. As we approached the spot where it happened I suddenly noticed why. On this 30 plus mile stretch of highway, the place where my car came to rest was the only location on either side of the road where a gap of thirty feet between the trees existed.

It then became clear to me; Satan did not want us to make it to that church for this woman to receive salvation. However, our God was in full control. I learned then, that sometimes God allows a storm to catch us, just like the disciples, so that Jesus can come and rescue us, and show us His power and supremacy over the devil. That miracle gave me even more strengthened faith to never doubt Him in any situation.