CHOKING!

My husband cooked steaks tonight.  We all sat down at the table and enjoyed a delicious meal together like a big, happy family.  Our nice and rather quiet meal was totally interrupted when my son suddenly and without warning pounded on the table.  It was so loud and so unexpected that I nearly did a backflip off of the bench.  True, I am the jumpy one in the family, but his loud outburst startled us all. 

After pounding on the table like a mad gorilla, he stood up. He spun around and did a 180 heading into the kitchen.  After a step or two, he started spitting, spewing, and throwing up.  (Sorry, this is graphic.) 

It was not until he made it into the kitchen that I realized he was choking on a piece of meat.  I yelled “B” so that my husband would jump up too and perform the Heimlich.  By the time we met up at the kitchen sink, he was okay.  The steak has passed.  I could breathe again.  My son could breathe again.  Halleluiah!

The sad thing about this situation was that when I first heard him beat his fists on the table, I scolded him to not ever do that again!  I thought he had completely lost his manners and his mind!  I later realized that he was beating on the table to get our attention because he was choking.  I judged his actions.  I thought I knew.

How often do we THINK we know?  We offer up in casual conversation what we would do if we were the one with the problem or question how that could possible happen.   We look at the kid, the business, the issue at hand and pridefully proclaim that it is just downright ridiculous how the circumstance is being handled. 

I am guilty.  We all are guilty.  We judge others and swear that on our watch, in our house, in our place of business, or even in our church body that “THAT” would never happen. 

Right about the time that we climb up on our high horse and say never, we better brace ourselves for a fall.  When we get too high and mighty, we will usually be knocked back down to reality. 

I recently got knocked down.  I do not know if I was too high or just needed to be reminded that I need my heavenly Father at all times. I got wind knocked out of me alright.  I would like to say it was the first time. I would like to say it will be the last. 

Understand this please.  When I say I had the wind knocked out of me, I do not mean that I was playing backyard football and got trucked.  I mean that something came up that totally caught me off guard and sent me straight to my knees begging the Lord for wisdom, peace, and strength…breathless! 

Whether you are full of air soaring smoothly or trying to breathe because life is seemingly crushing down on you, remember what the LORD told Joshua in Joshua 1:5.  HE said “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.  I will not leave you or forsake you.” 

This is a reference to Deuteronomy 31 when Moses reminded all of Israel that the LORD would be with them.  He kept His word and referred back to it. 

Please rest assured this week that the LORD will keep His word.  

This week focus less on what others are doing, what is going on around you, and totally make Jesus Christ #1 in your life.  You will be blessed!