Faith in the Fog

Confession: I ran out of gas.

In the middle of nowhere.

At midnight.

Three events coincided on the same evening to bring about this condition: we were invited over for coffee at some friends, my daughter was at a sleepover at a different friend's, and the van was running low on gas.

When we got home from a pleasant visit late in the evening, there was a message on the phone from the supervising mom that a certain girl was having some difficulties sleeping over after all and would I please call as soon as I got in. This I only mention to explain how and why I ended up on a dark highway in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, without gas.

Of course I went to get my daughter, despite its being late at night. When I got into the van, I remembered how low it was on gas. Unfortunately, the local gas station closes at 9:00 PM and it was much later than that. Our jerry cans also happened to be empty. I asked my husband if I should just take the truck. He said no, you could go pretty far on empty.

So away I went into the dark, foggy night to collect my daughter. Sometimes the fog was so thick I could hardly see right in front of me. “Would you say this weather is dodgy or sketchy?” queried my son, who had come along for the ride. I hoped I would be able to see the road to turn off the highway. I did manage to find the right road though I was doubtful it was the correct one until the very minute I turned into their driveway.

I collected my tired, disappointed daughter and headed back. About halfway home, the van began to slow of its own volition. I headed to the side of the road and coasted to a stop. “What's wrong?” asked my son.

Out of gas. You can't go forever on empty.

  

Thank goodness for cell phones.

My husband, who answered on the first ring as if he were waiting for this call, asked where we were. I couldn't really tell because of the fog. He figured he'd find us somewhere on the road.

My knight in shining armour arrived in due time. He hooked up the tow rope, and told my son to get on the cell phone so there would be constant communication between the truck and the van, between rescuer and rescuee.

I have never yet developed an enjoyment of being towed. I try to avoid it, generally speaking, not being a huge fan of the absence of control and the unpredictability. But we went, truck pulling van, my husband coaching me via my son on the cell phone. Of course, the first thing to be done was to get off the top of the hill. Getting towed downhill is not fun. Getting towed downhill in the dark and fog with a clouded windshield where the only thing to be seen is flashing hazard lights is even less than not fun. I tried very hard not to clutch the steering wheel too hard or press the brakes too furiously. I made a conscious effort to lean back instead of forward. I listened: when to brake, when especially not to brake. And I talked. I asked if I could brake now and I called when we became detached and I pleaded not to go so fast. And I tried to trust the wisdom and encouragement of my rescuer.

We made it home.

We even managed to coast to a stop on the other side of a puddle in our driveway instead of right in the middle of it. My son noted that an hour had passed since we had picked up his sister, taking about 45 minutes to travel three miles.

My relief at being home was great, greater than if I hadn't run out of gas.

Even while I was in the midst of my white-knuckled, murky drive home, I could see parallels in the rest of life. Each of us sometimes ends up stranded at a spot in life, unable to proceed on our own. Life can be murky and the way ahead unclear. But we have a Saviour in front of us, leading the way. We can't see where we're going, but He can. Sometimes we may feel like He's leading too fast, and we slam on the brakes, and other times too slowly, and we try to pass Him. But always there is a line of communication available for us to be encouraged and coached and for us to make our requests and feelings known. These are times for us to exercise trust in our Saviour's wisdom and ability to see and know what's coming, that He will prepare us for what lies ahead, and that He will get us safely to wherever it is that we're supposed to be going.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.

Psalm 23:1 - 3