Hi Friend,

When a centenarian was asked how she managed to live past a hundred, her simple response was, “I just didn’t die.” There may be more to that statement than is visible at first blush. A defensive driving school in Georgia trains students to avoid accidents by driving through them. Students practice driving on a course with built-in hazards they must maneuver around. They learn to overcome the natural instinct to freeze or give up when encountering a dangerous situation where the average person may crash without taking evasive action.

Ben Sherwood, author of the book “The Survivors Club,” interviewed people who had survived catastrophic circumstances. He wanted to understand what characteristics this special group of people had in common. One factor he recognized was “planning for the worst-case scenario.”

It’s a mental leap for people to plan for something terrible. Life has enough trials without walking through a nightmare that may never happen.  But that’s just what survivors do. You buy insurance in case of a wreck. Some schools still practice fire drills. Doors have locks to protect owners from thieves. Every Wednesday at noon when I hear sirens, I know that the local community has plans in event of a weather disaster or civil defense alert.

Sherwood was invited to participate in a program the Navy designs to teach sailors to escape from crashing jets and sinking helicopters. In one exercise he was strapped in the cockpit of a mockup helicopter which was suspended from a crane, then dropped into a large pool. It was flipped upside down to simulate an actual helicopter crash and his task was to extricate himself as water was pouring in. He described the panic as water was forced into his nose and he became disoriented. He had to determine which way was up, where the exit was located, and how to release himself from the seat straps.

The first priority, according to those who teach survival techniques, is to find a reference point. For example, if you were in your car which was suddenly upside down in a river, what is the first thing to look for? For Sherwood it was the door handle. Locate that reference point and he could find his way out.

It sounds so simple, yet when a person gets lost, he must find something familiar to gain perspective of the world around him.

What happens to people in a natural catastrophe — a war, a personal tragedy, or a moral dilemma? At such a time, what is your reference point?

Anyone can become confused by the circumstances of life, so God has given two things to keep us oriented. The first reference point is the law. The law is impersonal. It’s like the door handle that a man can see to gain perspective, or the air bubbles a scuba diver uses to see which way is up. Whenever the external world goes off kilter, look at the law. It’s the roadmap to tell you where you are and which way to go.

When Moses was about to give the Law of God to the children of Israel, he reminded them of the perilous events they had endured. Those who lost contact with the Law of God had died, “but those of you who were faithful to the LORD your God are still alive today.” (Deut. 4:4 GNB)  Moses wasn’t talking to cynics and skeptics. He was talking to people who joined the survivors club because the Law was their reference point.

The second thing God offers is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Man needs more than a door handle to grab. He needs something personal, someone who understands his challenge.

Moses went on to tell the Israelites, “No other nation, no matter how great, has a god who is so near when they need him as the LORD our God is to us. He answers us whenever we call for help.”  (Verse 7)

The God Moses introduced to Israel is not impersonal. He can be touched in times of crisis.  Each year the Holy Day seasons offer the people of God the opportunity to walk through a living drama demonstrating God’s relationship to them.  Passover was a stark reminder of the suffering God would endure to connect with man.  It foreshadowed the sacrifice of His Son.   No other god had ever done such a thing. It equips the people who serve God with the ability to survive catastrophe.

Until next time,

Jim O’Brien