And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me. Psalm 50:15
There is nothing more discouraging than to hit the open road on a family vacation and end up with a flat tire.
If you don't have roadside assistance, you probably know the procedure. You have to unpack the trunk and get out the spare -- that forgotten piece of equipment that we neglect until we really need it.
Even though we haven't given the spare a thought for months, maybe years, at that moment we expect it to be there -- in good condition and ready for use. There is nothing more colorful than the language of a person who finds the spare tire in less than sterling condition.
On our family vacation this year I had to change a flat and put on the spare.
As I popped the trunk, I found myself saying a prayer that everything was all right. It was. And then, as I was slapping it on our Buick, I started to think that a great many people treat God the same way as I have my spare tire.
They forget about Him for months on end. But when they want Him, He had better be there. He had better be in good condition and He had better be ready for their use. And heaven help the Lord, if He is not all of that and more. How sad. He never treats us that way, does He?
No, His love reflected in His Son's sacrifice is constantly there, constantly providing all the gracious blessings that come so regularly from His generous hands.
Well, listeners, I've mended my ways. My spare is no longer taken for granted. I'm checking it regularly now. And I hope you will do the same.
Most certainly you should check your spare tire regularly, but you should also check in with the Lord. Regularly. It's the smart thing for a Christian to do.
From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for being faithful to me, even when I forget about You. This day, every day I pray You will bring me into a closer relationship with You. Be in my thoughts, my work, and my play. In Jesus' Name, I ask this. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Chronicles 29-30 Acts 19:21-41
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