Superbowl LIII (that’s 53 in case roman numerals are not your thing) is here and sports betting is now allowed in many states. I’ve heard of 8 so far!
How often do we bet, in our minds, that nothing will happen to us while driving home on Super Bowl Sunday? After all, it’s a fun time to get together with family and/ or friends and eat, drink and just have some fun guessing who is going to win and getting all excited as we watch our favorite teams and players go crazy! We might even bet that we will make it home safely, ready to start a new week the next morning!
What we wouldn’t often wager is that we’ll encounter a drunk driver out on the road! We assume that they don’t go out or that they were already caught! Some may even think that its not their problem or that it will never affect them.
Then there is an accident!
Is it just car damage to us and the other car involved, or broken bones or bruises? While these things are terrible, some victims of drunk driving have been hit in the head, causing a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) which can often cause consequences like seizures for the rest of their lives! This is particularly close to me as I suffer from epilepsy and for many it can be a lifelong struggle in many ways. My seizures were not caused by an encounter with a drunk driver, but I know several people who’s are.
What often gets the news is the mortality of those encounters (the body count); but they often end in life-changing consequences that leave a lifetime of struggles.
James 4:13-14 says: “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow [a]we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
No matter how we place our bets in life or what expectations we set on our lives, we really don’t know what will happen to us beyond this moment. We will all have some trouble in life! Take heart that God is in control and that he has a purpose for your life even with it’s unique struggles. I would never have guessed that He would use my experiences to support others through writing a blog; but He knows what tomorrow holds even if I don’t.
Nice post highlighting the truth James spoke of. None of us knows what tomorrow holds and how suddenly the course of our life can change. That fact and several losses in my life have taught me to treasure today–invest it well because it is the only moment I truly have. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not a guarantee.
Yes! Amen, I’m thankful for what I have and looking forward to what God has for me in the future! Some days can be tough, I have to remind myself to keep my eyes on Him! Thank you for your encouraging words!