1/11/15

Ministry Matters

by Dr. Mapson

By now most of you know that last Sunday morning while on our way to church Sister Mapson and I were involved in a car accident at an intersection on Belmont Ave., an accident perhaps caused by a defective traffic light.  By the grace of God we survived a very traumatic and harrowing experience.  Cars can be replaced. Both of us thank you for your prayers and concern.  I have been in a couple of fender benders in the years I have been driving, but nothing near the nightmare of that experience. If you have ever been in an accident of that nature you know that there is a second or two, when after being hit, as the automobile is spinning around in the middle of the road, you feel your very life is threatened.  One can almost taste and see death.  

The fact is that I never thought I would be writing this message today because I never imagined this would have happened.  What a way for the new year to open.  However, life always has lessons to teach us if we are open to being taught.  Lesson # 1:  We never know how the day—and our days—will unfold.  My plan was to do what my wife and I have done for 27 years; get up on the Lord’s Day, get dressed, get in the car, and make our way to church.  We are not in charge of how our days unfold.  

Lesson #2:  We are reminded how close we humans are to death; just a second or two can separate us forever from this life.  Had our car been hit a half-second earlier the accident would have been far more severe, and who knows whether or not we would have survived or what shape we would have been in had we survived?  I’m reminded of the biblical passage when David says to Jonathan, “…there is but a step between me and death (1 Sam. 20:3).”  The mere thought of this ought to make our days more precious.

Lesson #3: I looked into the face of my wife, more concerned about her than myself, as she was at the same time more concerned about me than about herself.  What better definition of love than when one thinks of the other more than of self?  I appreciated more than ever her presence in my life, how much she means to me, and the mere thought of losing her, as well as being taken from our children, would be too much to bear.  Lesson #4:  Sometimes things happen so fast until there is no time to pray.  However, I believe that prayers already prayed can sustain us in times when there is no time to pray.  I had called on the Lord so many times before.

Lesson #5:  The accident happened while on our way to do the Lord’s work.  I was on my way to conduct worship and preach, and Sister Mapson on her way with me to sing with the choir.  Christians are not exempt from accidents and other calamities, even while on their way to serve the Lord.  But this is the final and most important lesson:  God is with us.  I trust God.  If we had not survived, God is still God.  If God had not delivered us, He’s still God.  There is hope for the new year, because He continues to hold us in the palm of His hand.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Mapson