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In our newspaper, there's a comic strip called "Red and Rover." Its main characters are a small boy named Red,
and his mutt dog named "Rover." (Incidentally, I've never known a dog named Rover, although it's supposedly as
common as my name, "Bill."
On one particular day, you see Red lying dizzily on the ground, while his bike is wrapped around a tree he has just
hit. Red says to his dog, "Guardian angel dog, why didn't you keep me from hitting that tree? And you see a balloon
above Rover indicating his thought and his silent answer, "Because I was busy keeping you from being hit by a car."
You know, there's more truth than fiction in that cartoon, and I've talked to you about it at another time. But Red
and Rover bring it strongly to mind again, and it's worth repeating: We have no idea how many times God has delayed us, or
turned our thoughts to change our route and go another way, saving us from bad things.
Let's say you get in your car, then remember that you left the ignition key on the kitchen table. It takes a minute
to go get it, then you're on your way...only to see an accident that's just happened. An accident that you might have been
in if you hadn't been delayed.
Now I'm just like you...I tend to get aggravated when I forget something and it delays me. But I'm trying to remember
that God is in charge. The Bible is clear in saying He puts men in power, and he takes them down. He raises up leaders and
countries and wars so that His will happens. He is in charge of your very breathing, so ask him for patience when your plans
seem to go awry. Just like Red, totaling his bike on a tree, God may be saving you from a more disastrous thing.
Start your day with a prayer for His protection; even that he'll help you to drive defensively, to stay out of the way
of the thoughtless, or those with problems on their mind that takes their attention away from safe driving. A woman once
pulled into an intersection in front of me, causing us to collide, because she was taking her sick dog to the vet, and that
was occupying all her thoughts. Ask God for guidance for every moment of your life.
37BT Bill Thornton August 14, 2003
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