“Don’t let your hearts be troubled: You believe in God. Believe also in Me!” John 14:1 ESV

One Friday afternoon as we inched through traffic on the expressway, our car suddenly made a sound I had never heard before. The engine died, but we were rolling just enough to coast to the right shoulder before stopping. My heart was anything but untroubled and in those days before cell phones we couldn’t even call for help. I got out, began pacing and throwing my hands up in the air while shouting “I can’t believe it!”  That was when my wife quietly came alongside and said, “Honey. Why don’t we just pray? God will work this out”

“Sure let’s pray.” I muttered, though not feeling convinced about any of God’s plans.” But soon afterward a state trooper stopped and called for a tow. In another twenty minutes a truck came and since our car was not operational we were invited to ride up front. There above the roar of the engine we got a colorful earful as the driver alternately shouted and honked the horn while forcing his way up the shoulder to the exit and I just stared out the window. But as we pulled into the parking lot of the garage I was surprised when my wife happily shouted; “Look honey! It’s the perfect place!” That was when I looked to where she was pointing and laughed for the first time all day. There at the bottom of the garage’s sign was written, “Smile! God loves you!” Two hours later our car had been fixed and the thoughtful mechanic even bought us dinner! That’s how I discovered that our loving God intervenes even when we think He’s forgotten and that He calms troubled hearts if we will believe.