On Saturday afternoon, my 13 year year old was zipping around in the garage on his hoverboard. He did it with such ease and to take a little break from the work I was doing, I asked could I try it out. He get off and reminds me how it works, as it had been a while since I had decided to go for a spin. Now, let me remind you that I am a few years older and many pounds heavier, but thought I would just do a couple spins around the garage and get off.
Wrong.
As I went to step off, the board came out from underneath me and down I went onto my concrete garage floor backwards. Two wrists, my left elbow and left hip throbbing in pain. I laughed to keep from crying, but I was hurting. Now, I can probably count on one hand how many times I have fallen in my life and this was one time I was worried something was broken. Once I managed to be able to get up, I could move everything and my kid got some ice for my elbow and wrist. I managed to escape any broken bones, praise God! I got light-headed a few times from the pain and the heat outside, but I kept thinking to myself how thankful I was that I didn’t break a bone somewhere or injure myself. No luck involved, just God took care of me in that moment. I nursed my wounds and got back to doing the work that needed to be done and came in for a shower and a late supper. Oh yeah, and three ibuprofen.
The next morning as we get up for church I was so worried about being stiff and sore and not being able to move. To my surprise, I was a little sore but nothing as I had expected. I have some bruising, but other than that…nothing new. Wow!
Last night at church, Psalm 34 was mentioned, so I decided to go back this morning and read it through and found these verses.
“He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.” (Verse 20)
Now, I know that David was talking about himself and even foreshadowing Jesus on the cross, but God reminded me once again that He takes care of me.
It’s not just in sickness, sadness, or when those set against me for evil.
He takes care of me in my own stupidity, too.
I know I didn’t need to get on that two-wheeled monster, but I thought I was 22 for a brief moment in time instead of pushing 42. I don’t look at no broken bones or soreness as anything other than the protection of God and Him caring for me. When I look at both of my wrists bruised, I can’t help but be reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made for me on the cross and the words of Isaiah and Peter, “By His wounds we are healed.”
Because of that, I am just filled with praise this morning. I know that there are people hurting, sick and experiencing situations and circumstances far worse than me falling off my kid’s hoverboard, but I want to remind you to keep praising Him. Keep trusting Him. Keep praying to Him.
Just a few verses before in Psalm 34 it says, “The Lord is near the broken-hearted; He saves the crushed in spirit.” (Verse 18)
He WILL take care of you. His love and protection hovers over you and I each and every day…no crashes or failed landings included.
And of course, I must show my bruises, ‘cause they are proof of healing and the protection of an Almighty God…and bruises are still cool as they were when I was a kid.