It Happened to Me!

Last night seemed like it was going to be an ordinary, relaxing erev shabbat. I was looking forward to food, friends, and the peace of the sabbath as I was rode the elevator up to my friend's apartment... and then it happened. Just like a movie, the elevator lurched, the lights blacked out and then it died. That's right, I was stranded. I was left alone in the pitch black somewhere between floors. I immediately had visions of the elevator plummeting down the shaft with only the concrete bottom to break my fall. Than I saw myself in the dark 3 foot by 5 foot space all night while I waited for the paramedics to come save me. That was in a movie, right? Then the worst one hit me, what if no one realized I was missing? What if I had to stay in there all night? In the dark... alone... hungry. I began to bang of the doors, yelling "I'm stuck in the elevator! Hello!" My phone didn't have any service, but with the little bit of light that my blue screen gives, I was able to find the emergency button and push it vigorously. You'd be amazed how quickly panic sets in when you're in a situation like that. Now, if you can believe this, all the afore mentioned scenarios and actions happened over the course of about 30 seconds. After that, my sanity kicked in and I began to pray. Once I began to do the one thing that would help me most, a supernatural peace came over me and the fear evaporated. Now I'm not saying that I was content to live in that elevator for the rest of my life or even the rest of the night, but the panic was gone.

John's first epistle, he tells us that perfect love casts out fear. That's one of those verses that I grew up knowing, but never really beleiving. But I'll let you in on something - God means what He says and every word in that book we call the Bible is solid truth. When you realize that the Creator of the Universe, Lord of every living thing, King of Kings, Alpha and Omega, and Holy Father loves you with a perfect love that has not even a hint of selfishness in it, your fear seems to vanish. In fact, it begins to look downright silly. If the Divine loves me like that, no middle eastern elevator is going to make me tremble. My only regret about last night is that is took me 30 whole seconds to turn to Jesus. My prayer is that I would know the Father's love deeper and truer until He is the first and only place I turn in time of trouble. Imagine a life without the presence of even the slightest fear... it is a life of love. Well, for those of you who are wondering, I made it out of the elevator - hence the fact that I am able to write this for your reading pleasure. I was stranded for a very undramatic 2 minutes. The power kicked back on and I made it my appropriate floor. I later found out that this happens semi-regularly. I'll chalk it up to just another initiation into life in Israel. But for the record, I think I'm going to stick to the stairs from now on. After all, doesn't it say somewhere to not test the Lord you God? :)