Sometimes We Have To Run

Sometimes We Have To Run … Hello weekend readers. My musing for today is about “when should we run or when should we stay.” First, I am sharing the story from 1993 about Donald Wyman from Puxatawny, Pennsylvania…

Wyman was cutting down trees on July 20, 1993. One of the trees snapped back and fell across his left leg. He tried to free himself but was stuck. He said he was trapped under the tree for about an hour, screaming for help but no one was around to hear him. His leg was broken and he knew he was bleeding out. With no rescue, he decided he had to do it himself. So, he took out a pocketknife and proceeded to amputate his leg. Then he made his way up the road until someone picked him up and raced him to a hospital. But here is something you wouldn’t think a dying person would say: Wyman said to the driver who was driving very fast “Slow down, dang-it, I didn’t come this far to die on the road. Take it easy.” Wow!!

When I first heard this story many years ago I never thought that I would use it in a devotion, but here’s the reason: Sometimes we have to take some drastic steps to remove ourselves and run from what is hurting us—body, soul, mind and spirit. Like Wyman, he knew he had little time to live if he didn’t cut his leg off. At the hospital the doctors said “If he hadn’t taken such a drastic measure, he would have died quickly.” In other words, he did it to save his life!

In 2 Timothy 2:22-24 [NLT] the Apostle Paul tells young Timothy: “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.”  

Remember that the Holy Spirit warns us when we’re in situations that threaten us and hurt our well-being. What we do with these warnings is up to us. If we ignore them, it’s like ignoring a hurricane or a fire coming our way. If Wyman would have ignored his bleeding leg, he would be dead and that reminds me of how easy it is to get “sucked-in” – like at a party, a raunchy movie, bad relationships—we know we shouldn’t be in these bad things but we do it anyway.

The Holy Spirit is convicting us, saying: “What are you doing here? Don’t be foolish. Get up and run away! You can make your explanations later, if necessary. But I am telling you that the important thing right now is to remove yourself from this situation-immediately!”

We encounter temptation around us all the time and it’s hard to resist. We do well to heed these words from Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:13 [MSG] “No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.”

No matter what we are facing, remember that God has an escape plan–a way out for us. So I suggest doing the wise thing and take God’s plan! Don’t let people tease you or taunt you and “suck you in” to their ideals. Kindly say: “this is not for me” and then RUN—and don’t worry, God is running right beside you…and for heaven’s sake, don’t look back! AMEN.