How many of us can look back on a time in our life when we felt we were protected or guarded by a force beyond our own human understanding. Perhaps we decided not to go a certain route, we happened to glance up and notice another vehicle was not going to stop for a traffic light or stop sign. There are other times most of us could remember for some reason we did not go through with a plan we had, or a feeling tugging inside that we should make other choices.

I personally can think of several times in my life when I know what I believe to be a supernatural force intervened to protect me from harm that could have occurred. The strongest recollection was several years ago when I was reaching for something in the floor of the car and looked away for just a few seconds from the road. However, when I looked up a car had stopped in front of me and I had no time to stop, but there was just enough room for me to go around the car on the shoulder of the road. I have never forgotten that incident and I know without a doubt someone else steered the car or made an opening for me to pass through.

For He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you in all your ways.

They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12 (NIV)

Angels and the hand of God were looking out for my nephew last week when he found himself caught up in a flash flood. He came upon water across a highway in the Birmingham area. He stopped and did not try driving through the water and was going to turn around. Before he could turn around, the water forced his car into a deep ditch next to the road.   When he saw what was about to happen he did not panic, but instead unbuckled his seatbelt and when the water started rising in the car he kicked the driver side door open to escape.

The car was continuing to sink and the rushing water tried to pull him underneath the vehicle. When he moved away from the car the water was over his head. He had to swim against the current to get to the bank of the ditch. He did manage to keep his phone in his mouth so that he could call for help when he reached the road. His car did completely submerge in the water before rising back up.

He said he felt that he was going to die but he kept swimming and did not give up. He reached the road and a vehicle stopped and waited with him until his mother could get there. When sharing the story, it was easy to see how scared and shook up he was.

But he did not panic and was able to keep a clear head along with his wits, and did not give up. His guardian angels worked hard to keep him from being injured or even drowning. They not only helped him get to safe ground, but also kept his nerves steady so that he could do what was necessary to save himself.

Thanks be to God for sending His angels on that rainy night and for a life that was spared.

Randy Garrison is the president and publisher of the Hartselle Enquirer.