Grace: Alive by God’s grace – 16 November 2022

Today, with the permission of dear sister-in-Christ, Caroline, I’m sharing her experience of God’s miraculous intervention in the recent life-threatening incident she survived. She has put those happenings together with the aid of her husband and “the angels at the gym” who attended to her that day. She begins: “Never let anyone tell you that it was “such a coincidence” that someone happened to cross your path. With God there is no coincidence – He places people in our lives because it’s part of His greater plan for us.”

She says this because each “co-incidence” that fateful day turned out to be God’s intervention. A planned 5km run on the road changed to a gym visit when her charlady told her about the bad weather.

Then Jaco, manager at Virgin Active, Table View, en route to work, who’d become the key person in resuscitation attempts, was called by Head Office to meet someone at Virgin Active Cape Gate.

When Jaco arrived, Caroline, who’d been running on the treadmill, and had collapsed face down on the moving belt, was being assisted by Tristan, the Gym manager. She was trying to resuscitate her, aided by a gym member who’d arrived for her class, a trained nursing sister with 21 years of experience in the trauma unit. Jaco saw a commotion but, not being the manager there, didn’t want to interfere.

But God prompted Jaco to go and help, and, because they were struggling, took charge.

By the seventh shock treatment attempt, Caroline’s heart had stopped. At this point Jaco stopped, and said, “Lord this is not about me, please take over”.

They tried a further five times before the medics arrived.

“My body had gone into shock because of no oxygen from the heart and my veins had collapsed so they could not even find veins to put a drip in. They incubated me when they eventually managed to get my heart beating again.”

Caroline remained in ICU for some days until her body had stabilised, and then, to the great joy of family and friends, went home.

“I know that God kept me here to tell the world, and that if I do not testify to His Greatness, the very stones will shout it out.”

His power and grace are limitless; God loves us, knows us and understands us. With Caroline, we can say, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Prayer: Gracious God, we rejoice that we can say, “My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2 ) Amen