Sunday, July 20, 2014

SPIRITUAL OVERHAUL

My son received some good news last Saturday - his automatic transmission does not need to be overhauled. His twelve year-old Ford truck has lots and lots of miles on it and he noticed it was shifting hard, so he parked it and drove his other vehicle. After a week, he took it to High Country Transmission, a very good repair shop near his home. I know it's very good because I had another transmission repaired there (and also baptized the owner's son).

Saturday Brian called that the diagnostics show the tranny is okay. It just needed a thorough servicing. (Translation: fluid and filter need replacing) That's great news since a transmission rebuild is a big ticket item these days.

Power train items don't usually fall apart over night; they get that way with time. Little by little with constant shifting, heating and cooling, dirt and sludge build up and will damage internal parts. Without periodic fluid and filter change, it will break down.

It's just like people. We ignore our relationship with God and let all kinds of "gunk" into our lives that come between us and others, especially between us and God. Without regular spiritual cleanups through confession, prayer and Holy Communion, we start to "shift" harder until we come to a spiritual stop. We need regular spiritual check-ups to stay close to God.

King David got himself into big trouble with another man's wife and knew he had dirt in his life. In Psalm 51 he said, "Cleanse me, O Lord, with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow." Good words to remember when we feel spiritually sluggish and run-down.

Today give thanks to your Lord Jesus that He gave His life for you on Calvary. When we believe He is God's Son and trust Him to forgive us, we can be confident God will not toss us into that eternal Junk Yard.

Does your spiritual power train need servicing? Overhauling?

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