My black Ford pickup is definitely not green. It gets terrible gas mileage. I can hear it going ka-ching as I drive around town. This weekend I drove it almost to New York City and on the way back I knew exactly where I would have to refuel. I should not have planned so well. The best laid plans of mice and men go astray. This time it was a traffic tie-up. About fifty miles from my intended fill-up we came to a complete stop in wall to wall traffic for as far ahead as I could see. Now the anxiety began. Quickly turning off the air conditioning I realized if we sat and idled for an hour we were in trouble. I suddenly felt like one of the five foolish virgins that ran out of oil because the bridegroom did not appear when planned.
I am happy to report I was more fortunate than the foolish virgins. After idling only a half an hour and crawling along about a mile I spotted a Shell sign hidden among a grove of leafy oaks and maples. Phew! As many times as I made that trip I had never seen that sign before. Isn’t it wonderful to feel rescued? Things we haven’t planned for occur and suddenly we find ourselves in a very disadvantaged place.
Psalm 50 verse 15 says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you.” I’m not sure that text has much to do with gasoline but I do know it has lots to do with life’s more serious issues. When we are feeling at our wits’ end and nothing much is going right, ask for help. He might not answer it the way we want because there is a good chance He has something completely better.
Written by Roger Bothwell on June 1, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org