I have a vivid picture in my mind of a woman who is stranded in her car in a whirl of rushing water. People on both banks are standing there trying to figure out what they can do to save this woman. On one bank, they make a chain of people and try to tie a rope around her car to at least hold it where it is and possibly even pull it back upstream to help this woman who is crying out for her life. Some people see the ordeal going on and join in, offering their strength in the situation. They all start to pull on the rope and all of a sudden, the car flips over and starts to go downstream...a general outburst of cries goes through the people on the shore...but then, the car flips back up and gets lodged onto the bank a little ways downstream and the woman is rescued from certain death.

This was a true story. My prof for one of my classes showed the video clip in class.

But tonight as I was rereading some emails and talking with some friends, I saw this video clip in my mind in a whole new way. The person in the car would be a friend of mine who does not have Christ in their lives and therefore is dying apart from Him. The people on the bank are my fellow brothers and sisters who are standing in the gap with me through prayer and other ways to reach this friend to save them from certain Death. And I was thinking about how things could play out...it may not go as we all hope and pray for...it may not be a picture perfect "rescue attempt"...but in the end, God is in control and knows what needs to be done to make it a beautiful ending.

I am just sitting here tonight utterly thankful for my brothers and sisters in Christ who will stand in the gap with me for my friend...and for whom I can reciprocate. I just love that God gave us a family to encourage and strengten us...people with skin on who can speak audibly to our hearts and minds and walk with us through various situations in life.

God is so cool. I hope I never stop being thankful for the way He saved me from Death (through prayers of many on the banks, I am certain) and gave to me His joy and peace.