Sunday, September 7, 2008

God Speaks...at the car wash!

One of the things I like best about myself is my ability to see the good in the not so good. I am forever the optimist...the "Pollyanna"...and I like that. I am also always trying to see God in the little things...the places that people don't usually look for God...like the never ending, slow drive thru lane you can't get out of...or the straw with one end stuck together. Sometimes people look at me as if I have lost it completely, but that's a way God speaks to me...a way He teaches me...at least when I will listen to Him! Maybe I should turn these into sermon illustrations and write a book!

Today's example is the carwash. Really? yep, God spoke to my heart at the carwash. I was going through the automatic wash - cause I like the easy route. I thought about our spiritual lives. There are people who work their whole lives trying to be good enough for God - trying to clean themselves up enough for Him - they are like the ones who wash their own car. Then there are those who choose to just sit...and let the cleaning go on around them...no fighting...no working...just letting the car wash do what it was made to do. Isn't that like Jesus? He was made to clean us up. We don't have to be good enough. We don't have to do any work. We just have to ask him...and then sit there and let his love wash over us...cleansing us...renewing us. I can never be "good enough." But still, He loves me...He wants me to just come to him...just sit with Him and let Him do what only HE can...pick me up, dust me off, clean me up...He's good that way, you know?

Then it was time for the automatic dryer...I love that thing! Such powerful air! But even though my windshield wipers were coming up off the window, water droplets were flying off the car and drying up, and the car shook from the force of the air...not a hair on my head moved. I was protected. God knows there will be storms in our lives that will shake us up, but He promises that he will be there...that He will be our protector. If we allow him, though the storm may rage around us, we are safe...not a hair on our head will move.

Spiritually...well, my hair is kind of a mess...I am sweaty from washing my car on my own...wish it were easier for me to choose the "easy" way...but it's hard, you know? How about you? Are you sweaty, too? Or have you figured out how to keep your hair in place? I want to be that person...to let Jesus do what He's been dying (literally) to do...let Him protect me from any storm that rages...hmm...somthing to think about this week...

2 comments:

Tiffany said...

Love the illustration! You should write a book...you have great insight, ideas, and you are a talented writer! I would buy your book!

Alana said...

Oh, I'm sweaty alright!

Love this...good stuff!