Riding a Greased Snake

Ever ride a greased snake?

That’s how my Danny described our Sunday morning adventure. That morning started out with our sweet little grandson, Blake, waking up with us at 5am. All smiles and cuddles, he was raring to go. We gulped a bit of coffee, got dressed, said a quick prayer for safety and made our way, with car and motorcycle to our daughter’s house to deliver a still sleepy boy.

Getting on the bike and leaving our car at her house, we met our riding partners at the next town and proceeded to head for Texarkana on Interstate 30. Danny was due to bring a CMA service to a bike rally in DeKalb Tx and we needed to boogie.

As Danny suddenly slowed the bike a little, I looked up to see where the deer was. That’s the usual caution sign – those deer along the Interstate are worth watching and Arkansas has an abundant crop of the critters.

I could not find a deer anywhere in my sights, but just then I felt the rear of the bike drop. And, then we were swaying down the highway left and right. It was almost like slow motion, but we were still traveling at a high rate of speed.

Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! I kept repeating His name over and over. I heard Danny say in his mike, “Stop!” I thought about all I’ve been trained to do and not do over the last 35 years. I wasn’t moving, I wasn’t wiggling, nothing. He immediately came back with “Don’t stop saying Jesus!” Of course I kept it up.

I was holding onto my husband and calling out to my Savior with all my might.

Our friends behind us were wondering why Danny was slowing down and then he saw the problem, “Dear Lord, they’ve had a blow out!” They began to call out to the Lord as well. “Jesus, help them. Keep the bike up, Jesus keep the bike up” over and over.

It felt almost like skating, the way the bike swayed down the highway. And then it didn’t. The bike began to shudder and wobble more fiercely and I felt that we probably were going to lose control and wreck. I kept calling out to Jesus, and looked for grass. I thought, Stop Drop and Roll! Haha Jump off the bike into the grass. I knew I didn’t want to go down on the pavement.

Danny said at about this moment, he heard a Voice, “Pull in the clutch”. He did and the bike straightened out and he was able to bring it to a stop. Not only that, but we had the only extra wide shoulder on the Interstate right there, so we were totally out of traffic.

I jumped off the bike and was just flabbergasted! I shouted to our friends, “Did you see that? That was a miracle!” We hugged one another, the four of us, and thanked God for His mercies.

Two Scriptures came to mind while we were praying and riding our greased snake, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe”. I thought, Lord, it looks to the average eye that we are headed for a terrible mishap, but we are encased in your strong tower riding down this highway on a squirrelly motorcycle! Nothing can get to us because of your providential care.

The other Scripture that came to mind was, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain!” I had such a peace riding that goldwing I knew I was safe. If we lived it would be because the Lord had reason for us to remain here a while yet. If Satan was trying to kill us, he was doomed in his plan anyway. Because whether we live or die it is to the Lord.

Does this mean the circumstances will always turn out the way it did for us? Surely others have called out to the Lord and things went differently. But beloved, when you are in squirrelly circumstances or you feel you’re riding a greased snake, whether it’s a motorcycle event or just life in general, remember two things. You belong to Him. Your life, your death, your very existence is in His Hands. And, as you call out to the Lord, His name is a strong tower and you are safe in His NAME!

Live for Jesus and always call out to Him. He’ll either straighten the circumstances out or He’ll take you home with Him. And, as God’s Word says, “If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

For us, we lived through the circumstances to see another day in God’s marvelous grace plan. Danny called one of his chapter presidents, Kenneth Campbell, to fill in for him at the Rally. God not only saved our lives, but allowed one of his other willing servants to get a blessing as well.

And, we spent the day giving God the glory. And, isn’t that what it’s all about?