Accidents seem to have become accepted as part and parcel of the human existence. People have simply accepted the idea that there will be accidents, of various kinds, from time to time; some will not be so serious, while others will be extremely serious, causing great injury or even death to the victims.
One school of philosophy actually embraces the belief that accidents occur to people when they are, as they put it, "out of sync", that is to say, when they are out of harmony with Nature. These philosophers believe that just as most of our bodily functions operate without any conscious effort on our part, so too, if human beings are in sync or in harmony with Nature, with the laws that govern the universe, they are not likely to ever experience such things as unfortunate "accidents," as they will be functioning in harmony with nature, which will naturally look after their well being.
These philosophers explain that even as there are various levels of sleep, ie. one may be sleeping lightly, or be sleeping soundly, so too they believe, the inhabitants of the world are in various levels of spiritual sleep, but most, they believe, are spiritually fast asleep, out of sync with nature, and as such have made themselves vulnerable to accidents or mishaps. Being in harmony, they ascertain, guarantees one's protection from such things. When individuals are truly in harmony, they say, they need not concern themselves with what they should eat or drink, what they shall wear, or for that matter, what they shall do, or where they shall go at any given time. Those who are in sync, they affirm, do not worry about whether they will ever marry, where they will work, how much they may earn, or where they will live. Their primary purpose is to achieve and maintain harmony with nature, and everything else will take care of itself.
Undue worry, they believe, causes people to sleep, spiritually. Dwelling on mistakes or regrets of the past that they cannot change, or of imagined unpleasant events of the future which may never occur, cause people, they affirm, to get out of harmony with Nature, and leave themselves vulnerable to possible calamities of our veritable, accident prone civilization. In some respects, their philosophy appears somewhat compatible with a few of the teachings of Jesus in His famous "Sermon on the Mount," where He said, "... take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matt 6:31-34).
But what does all this really have to do with preventing accidents? you may ask. The answer is ... everything!
Read and consider the following scripture, (Luke 13:1-5). Scrutinize each word carefully:
"There were present at that season some that told Him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said to them, Do you suppose that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, do you think that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish."
The statement is very clear: Time and chance happen to everyone. If you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you could be involved in an accident, apparently through no fault of your own, other than that you were in the place where the accident was occuring. Like the young man who, on the way to get into his car to drive to work one morning, noticed that the garbage needed putting out, so delayed himself another five minutes to take care of the matter before driving out on to the highway, where he collided with a truck, which had careened across the road after a tyre blowout, smashing headlong into his car, killing him instantly. Had the young man not delayed at home for that five minutes to put the garbage out, he would not have been in that place at that time and may have gone on to marry, have children, and, who knows, may even have become President.
Was it pre-ordained in some place at some time that that young man would not live out his natural life, no matter how good or bad he may have conducted his life? Or was it indeed simply a matter of time and chance, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, much like the eighteen people of Siloam on whom the wall fell and killed them?
For the answer to that question, read again carefully what Christ said: "Except you repent you shall all likewise perish." Not necessarily that a wall would fall on you, but that as time and chance occur to all people, you could be accidentally killed sometime. However, did you notice the assurance Christ gave that it need not happen to you? He said, "except you repent, you shall all likewise perish." Conversely then, if you repent, ie. if you strive to obey the laws of God, strive to keep God's commandments, and love your neighbour as yourself, you shall NOT likewise perish, you will then come under the Divine protection of God Almighty, He will be your Father and you will be His child.
The truly converted christian who is striving to live by every Word of God, need not fear Satan nor his demons, need not fear accidents nor harm, indeed, need not fear death itself, for he is under God's Divine care at all times.
This does not mean that a true Christian may never die by what may appear by some to be an accident. But should such ever happen, you can be sure of one thing, it was no accident for God, it didn't catch God or His angels "off guard", and happened too quickly for them to be able to do anything about it. For as the scripture says, "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3:8). God therefore has enough time, even while an accident is about to happen, to consider whether or not to allow it, or whether He is satisfied with the christian's life at that point to allow the accident to claim his life and remove him from any further trials on this earth.
How then can you be forever freed from fear of accidents and harm? freed from the fears of premature death? Just follow the instructions of Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Saviour and soon coming King, and repent, strive to obey ALL of God's commandments, every day, and time and chance will not be allowed to go to their own natural conclusion in your life, particularly when the outcome would be utter disaster, for the Word of God says, "Because you have made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, your habitation; There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone."
If you are obedient to God, you have His assurance that He will set His angels to watch over you and you shall not "likewise perish." (Psalm 91:9-12).
