I had a friend in Dallas several years ago who experienced an interesting answer to prayer in a kairos situation. She had gone early one morning to visit her son and daughter-in-law. The son worked an all-night shift so, awaiting his return from work, his wife and mother visited for awhile. As time wore on and the son didn’t arrive, Mom began to feel uneasy. Something didn’t seem right.

Thinking that perhaps he was still at work, they called his place of employment, “No,” they were told, “he has already left.” Becoming more alarmed the mother said, “I’m concerned. Let’s drive toward his place of work.”

She had assumed her son had left work at his normal time and should have been home by then when, in fact, he had left just moments before their call. But the Lord was directing even in that because, though he was not in any danger yet, the Holy Spirit knew a kairos moment was coming for this young man, and He wanted this praying mother there when it happened.

As Mom and daughter-in-law drove toward his workplace on a busy Dallas parkway, they saw him coming from the other direction on his motorcycle, traveling around 40 to 50 miles per hour. As they watched, he fell asleep and veered off the road, hit the curb and flew 40 or 50 feet through the air. He was not even wearing a helmet.

As the boy was moving through the air, Mom was praying, “Jesus, protect my son!” She continued to pray as they turned around and drove back to him. A crowd had already gathered around him, and they ran to the scene wondering what they would find.

They found a miracle! No injuries-no bones broken, no lacerations, no internal injuries. Just a dazed young man wondering what had happened.

Paga happened …Kairos paga happened! Boundaries happened. A mother picked up on the warning from the Holy Spirit and was therefore in the right place at the right time.

Does this mean that if you weren’t there praying when someone you loved had an accident, you’re to blame for their injury or death? Of course not. If we all played that guessing game, it would drive us insane. It simply means we must be alert, and when warnings do come from the Holy Spirit, we must respond by praying-building some boundaries.

Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets, p.86-87. 1996, Gospel Light/Regal Books, Ventura, CA 93003. Used by Permission