His life flashed before my eyes

We’ve just got back from a holiday at Center Parcs. If you’re not from Europe then think of a child’s perfect holiday, and you’re pretty much there. Lodges nestled in the forest, the only modes of transport are foot or bicycle, there’s an enormous “subtropical paradise” swimming park and adventure playgroups galore. It’s a holiday completely filled with things that children love to do.

We went with another family – our friends and their four children. So obviously our boys were absolutely in their element the whole week. Swimming, playing, sleepovers with friends and lots of junk food – there’s no wonder that our four year old asked if he could live there forever. It sounds idyllic. And it kind of was. Apart from the incident…

It happened in a split second. As these things often do.

Our two families were exiting the lodge, but when there’s ten people to leave, it always means that some people are left lingering at the front door for some time. A gaggle of us were just outside the front door. I turned to look back into the house to see if the others were ready to join us when our four year old suddenly shouts, “Mummy! He nearly got ran over!” I looked up to see our almost-two-year-old on the road, about one metre from the bonnet of a white van. Very uncharacteristically (he’s quite shy and clingy) he ran as fast as he could to a big, red, shiny telephone box across the road to look at it – and right into the line of “traffic” (one of the few vehicles on site to help with services). Heart thumping I immediately ran over and scooped him into my arms, strapped him straight into his pram, and immediately burst into floods of tears.

In the privacy of our bedroom I took stock. Nothing had happened. He was perfectly safe. But it was far too close for comfort.

It was a freak incident really. It is unlike our son to ever be more than a metre from clinging onto the legs of one of us. And on a holiday park which prides itself on having no cars – what are the chances of a maintenance vehicle having to stop suddenly when our tiny infant ran across the road?

But it showed me how easily accidents can happen.

It’s scary how easily accidents can happen.

And replaying the incident and the possible outcomes kept me from sleeping that night.

So what does the gospel have to do with this?

Well I guess we’re getting into tricky territory here with God’s sovereignty and human suffering, but here’s two truths we should take away from the incident.

God looks after our children even when we cannot

It’s impossible for us as parents to watch over our children at all times. Even if we are very diligent and only have young children it’s still not possible to protect them from all harm. As children get older it’s even more difficult to guarantee their safety, as they become more independent and take more calculated risks. So what do we do with this unavoidable fact? Wrap them up in cotton wool? Despair and worry?

As Christians we don’t have to do that.

We personally know the creator and sustainer of the universe. He is absolutely in control of every detail of our lives and in control of every atom in the universe. And he’s for us! The awesome creator harnesses his mighty power on our behalf.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

This is such a comforting Psalm. We cannot perfectly watch over our children, but God can, and he does. (We thought more about that in this blog post). I find comfort in the fact that God was in control of the driver of the van spotting our child and braking in time. God answered a prayer that I didn’t even know to say, because I had no idea that the incident was going to happen. Praise him for his kindness and protection!

Even when the worst case scenario happens, we have the hope of eternal life

But we know that because of the brokenness of this world, death does come to each of us. The Israelites who originally sang the song of ascents did truly experience God’s protection of them, and yet one day they died. The same will happen for each of us and for our children too (unless Jesus comes back first). So God’s protection in incidents like the one above is because of his grace, but in the end that will not prevent the inevitable.

But despite the impending death to come, we have a sure and certain hope of eternal life. Even when we die, and even when our children die we have hope beyond the grave!

“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;  it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body[…]

 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—  in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

 “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”

1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 50-55

Our son’s life flashed before my eyes, and it was terrifying. I’m so grateful for God’s physical protection of our little boy. And yet I am also grateful for the reminder that even our greatest enemy – death – is rendered powerless in light of Jesus’ glorious resurrection from the dead. What confidence we can have as Christians, what joy, and what hope!

One thought on “His life flashed before my eyes

  • June 18, 2018 at 9:33 am
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    I believe whole heartily with you. Thank you Jesus for saving Boaz our beautiful grandchild.

    Reply

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