Minute With Mallon: The Left Lane Nearly Cost Me Everything!
Welcome to Minute with Mallon!
Something I Taught:
As you read this, I'm probably still in Kenya on a mission trip. So I'm sharing a story I wrote several years ago. Hope you enjoy it, and that it has an impact on your life too!
Sunday, February 5, 2006
Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God.”
Super Bowl Sunday! The Steelers playing the Seahawks. Going to be a great game - a great evening. Well, not for me. I had accidentally forgotten to block my schedule and was on a plane that evening flying to Boston, MA. Not my idea of a great way to spend the day. As a matter of fact, I was a little ticked at myself for not paying attention to my schedule and was mourning the fact that the best game of the year was on and I was flying high above the east coast literally seven miles above the nearest TV.
I was involved with a men’s group at my church which was dedicated to increasing the leadership levels of its members. Each month we read a book that concentrated on one aspect of leadership. This month’s selection was A Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster. Extraordinary book! It discusses different spiritual disciplines and the importance of using these disciplines in order to build a deeper spiritual life. So at 36,000 feet, I’m reading about solitude and silence.
The book talked about how fast our lives are, how full of noise and activity. How we are constantly bombarded by a stream of clatter. It’s just hard to experience the quiet and stillness that previous generations enjoyed. Time for reflection, contemplation, and conversation seem to be things of the past.
I had decided just a couple of days before to purchase a portable XM Radio for my car. It could be used in any rental car. Since I was traveling about ten days a month; sometimes to some pretty remote places, it seemed like a good investment for my down time. That night on the plane I decided to just turn off my radio in my car for the week. Could I do it? Could I stand the quiet? What would it feel like? Would I hear God’s voice more clearly? I didn’t know, but I felt God’s prompting and many times when this happens, neat things seem to follow...
I got off the plane around 6:30. Went downstairs, grabbed my luggage, and then proceeded to the rental car counter. I was in Massachusetts for the next five days. It was going to be cold, it was already dark, and the first quarter was on. I had about an 80 mile drive to Hyannis, on the coast and was speaking at a Marriott the next morning. So I found the car, tossed my luggage in the trunk, jumped in the car, and took off. If I floored it, maybe I could see the second half of the game.
I started out of Logan airfield and got on the highway. Traffic was light—no doubt because everyone was watching the game! Why was I here in Massachusetts on Super Bowl Sunday??? I floored it when I got on the highway.
I was on Hwy. 6 going towards Hyannis. Radio was off. Probably doing about 80 miles an hour. Four-lane road divided by grass and in many places trees. I was thinking to myself that most of the Highway Patrol was at home watching the game. No one there to even stop me if I was speeding... I’m pretty sure the speed limit was about 65 but it didn’t matter to me. Let’s just say that my thoughts weren’t focused on purity and joy about my newfound silence and solitude. I just wanted to see the game.
I was flying along when I heard a voice... 'Why are you going so fast?'
God. Sometimes he speaks up at the most inopportune times.
“I want to see the game,” I told him under my breath.
“When was the last time you drove this fast to see me? And then it came, “You know something? You’re just a left-hand-lane kind of person.”
What? What did He say to me? “It’s the Super Bowl God...”
And then I started thinking about it. You know, He’s right. I am a left-hand-lane kind of person. Everywhere I go, I’m in the left-hand-lane. Rushing here, rushing there. Always going fast. Even at home on the way to Kroger I’m in the left hand lane. If I could take that kind of intensity and focus it towards God, what might happen? My foot came off the gas and the car started slowing down... 70.... 65... I steered the car towards the right hand lane and just started cruising along at the speed limit. Man this is slow... I’m going to miss the game... Shut up, slow down, and concentrate on hearing him...
Well I made it to the hotel. It may have taken about thirty extra minutes but I felt pretty calm. I went to my room, turned on the TV and watched the last quarter. Actually, it wasn’t that great of a game anyway.
Monday morning I woke up and did my usual. Exercise, a little time in the Word, and then a few minutes of prayer. A great way to start the day. The seminar went without a hitch and about 4:30 p.m. my car was loaded up and I was ready to go to the next city - Taunton, MA. About an hour and a half drive. As I pulled out of the parking lot I eased into the right hand lane of the highway. Nice and quiet. Every so often I would catch myself easing over towards the left hand lane. I guess I’ve programmed myself that that’s the place to be. It was actually a little difficult and annoying going the speed limit. Felt so slow. But I began to look out the windows at the landscape passing by. “You know, it’s really pretty out there.” So often I travel through some of the prettiest parts of our country and miss it all just rushing to the next hotel. To do what? Go find dinner and then back to a room that looks like the 7oo others I’ve slept in over the last several years.
The next day after my seminar, I drove from Taunton to Randolph, Ma. On this day, it was a little easier to keep the car in the right hand lane. And the quiet was kind of nice. No chatter. No DJ’s ranting about this or that. Just solitude and silence with my Father. Peaceful. Pleasant.
Wednesday afternoon I left the venue and was on my way to Worchester, Ma. Easier still. Actually the silence and the right hand lane were becoming normal in an odd sort of way. Around 5:30, I was on the Mass. Pike. Outside of Boston. Three lanes of traffic—I was in the right-hand lane. The traffic was heavy and we were all doing about 60 miles-per-hour. All of a sudden I heard the screeching of tires to my left. I just had time to glance directly to my left and saw a car slamming on their breaks trying to miss cars who had stopped directly in front of them. The back end of the car was up in the air from the car’s inertia while trying to slow down. Then I saw an 18-wheeler truck just plow over the car. The truck driver clearly hadn’t seen what was happening ahead and slammed into the car at full speed. CRASH! I heard the sound of the metal as the truck started going right over the car in front.
My heart just started pumping. I wanted to stop and help as I was sure that there were people hurt but the traffic was so dense. There were cars right on my bumper and cars to my left. No way to stop as this could cause further accidents.
And then I heard it. God spoke to me again...
“Thanks for listening. That was going to be you in that car.”
Adrenaline shot through my body. God was telling me that he’d protected me. The thought came to mind that any other day of the year—of any year—I would have been in that left hand lane. It’s what I did. Always. But not this week. This week I had listened and obeyed. I didn't want to. I didn't understand why. Until now.
Well needless to say, I stayed in that right hand lane for several months. I also kept my radio off. I told some friends the story and told them that I didn’t know how long I’d keep riding like that.
I knew it wouldn’t be forever, but I knew that I had heard God’s voice that night on Hwy. 6.
Something to Ponder:
“If we all threw our troubles into a big pile and we saw everyone else’s problems we would immediately grab ours back.”
Kevin Kelly
Something I Saw:
This young man charged us about 10 seconds after I took this picture! 😳
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Hope you have an incredible week!
Robert
