Do you ever search the scriptures for biblical examples of people who seemed to encounter circumstances like your own?  I do.  I love to see how biblical characters handled the crises in their lives and how God intervened in their situations.

Thus, it wasn’t long after my wreck that I began to search the Bible for anyone who suffered a broken neck—more specifically, a hangman’s fracture.  To my dismay, the most glaring example of such a person was Judas Iscariot who hanged himself after betraying Jesus.  Judas, you may recall, betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.  Then after realizing his sin, he took his own life because of his guilt rather than repenting and turning back to God.

Unlike Judas, my injuries were not self-inflicted; yet I still pondered whether I had anything in common with this villain.

Judas’ sins, you may recall, were twofold:  First, he was a betrayer: he led the Pharisees to Jesus and identified him with a kiss (Matthew 26:47-49).  Second, he was driven by greed—30 pieces of silver to be exact.  Money was more important to him than faithfulness to the One he had served for three years.  (Luke 22:3-6)

In the process of self-examination, my mind drifted back to early September 2017, when I went to the bank to close a very small account left to me by my late husband Gerry.  As I entered the bank, the “Still Small Voice” gently prodded me: “You don’t really need this money.  You will never miss it.  You should give it to your church (Trading Ford Baptist) for their September building fund campaign.”

For several days after closing the account, I carried that check around in my wallet questioning the Lord, “Did you really say I should give this to the church?  Really?  You know, Lord, I could use the money, too.”  Finally, as the last week in September arrived and the building fund campaign neared its end, I wrote the check as I had been instructed and sent it to the church.   I was keenly aware that the Lord “loves a cheerful giver” and I was working hard on my attitude, but if I am brutally honest, I was a somewhat reluctant giver.

Three weeks passed.  October 23 arrived:  car wreck–hospitalization—car totaled— (it was almost paid for)—looking forward to no car payments—now had to replace it—woe is me!

October 26, three days later, I got a call from a representative of my auto insurance company.  She wanted to discuss the insurance settlement on the car.  In my mind, I had already calculated an amount of money that would be equivalent to the value of my new car in 2014 minus three years of deterioration and 52,000 miles of use.

To my utter surprise, though, she began talking in terms of “replacement costs” and the fact that I had great insurance coverage (unknown to me but thanks to my insurance agent) and that I would be getting a sum that was several thousand dollars more than I had estimated!  I almost fainted as I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming! Needless to say, I was amazed and delighted!  When I received the settlement check several days later, it was for more than I paid for the car—an amount almost exactly equivalent to the contribution I had made to the Building Fund!

As I came to realize what had happened, I was amazed at the overflow of blessings I was receiving—all very much undeserved and certainly unexpected!  I was able to buy a much better car than the one I was driving before the accident.

When I stepped back and realized the magnitude of blessings that Jesus pours out on me every day—all undeserved—I, like Judas, was guilt ridden.  With great humility, I confessed my sin to the Lord and begged his forgiveness for my stinginess.  After all, Jesus gave his very life on a tree for me—freely, at great cost!  I had given a pittance to His church—reluctantly, even stingily– but he blessed me immensely—bountifully, abundantly—spiritually but also materially.

In reflecting on the events, two scriptures came to mind:

Proverbs 28:13

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

Too bad Judas didn’t heed this.

John 10:10

A thief (Satan) has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!  John 10:10 (TPT)

The thief—Satan—fills our minds with evil desires just as he did in the Garden of Eden when he tempted Adam and Eve and in the Garden of Gethsemane when Judas betrayed Jesus.  He literally wants to destroy us!

Jesus, on the other hand, wants to give us the abundant life both now and in eternity.

It’s all about choice!

1 John 1:9 tells us:

If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Praise the Lord, I asked for forgiveness—and He generously provided it.  I am grateful to Jesus for loving and forgiving me despite my weak, sinful nature!

During this season when we are all caught up in buying and giving gifts, may we praise God for His ultimate gift—the Savior of the Universe!

What about you?  Have you experienced unexpected and undeserved blessings from King Jesus?  Want to brag on Him?  Feel free to write your comments below.  Merry Christmas!