minister5writes

By Evangelist Linda J -July 2018

Just when you thought there was peace and safety and you have dotted all the i’s and crossed all your t’s and then you literally hit a bump in the road. This is what happened to me today – I had just settled some major bills, had the car washed and cleaned and was doing my daughter a favour by dropping her off at a friend for them to go to prom, when I hit a curb. Yes, literally hit a curb with my nice sparkling, iced blue (cant get that colour anymore …) TT and which I am trying to preserve (cant afford a new one) and just after my lovely birthday…. Just minding my own business, when I heard the most awful, cranking, metal, sound. I dare not look myself, but sent my daughter out to see.

I watched to see if her face would change; It didn’t – she was prom bound any way…. !!! Head in the clouds. I got out myself and gingerly…. but she was right, there was no sign of any damage. Phew, I thought , protected again. Lord how you love me.

I dropped my daughter off and made my way home across the city through much traffic and heat . I parked up and entered my house. Two hours later, I decided I would go for a walk on the neighbouring park. I opened the front door and locked up when I saw my neighbour standing on the front peering at something on the ground then looking uncomfortably at me…..He asked:

” Is that your car?”

“Why?” I said

“It is leaking some dark brown fluid underneath….”

Whaaaaaaat???….

Sure enough I could see a trail of liquid, that must have been leaking as I parked up.

Arghh , I thought. Pound signs started to flash – how much is that going to cost now..??

I said thank you but sensed how people feel when the messenger brings bad news ie for some strange reason you are disgruntled with them..!!! I abandoned my evening walk, returned to the house, to begin to sort out the mess.

As I finished listening to that awful music on the on-hold button (you cant get the staff), finished telling my insurers and the RAC my woes, after punching in policy numbers and retrieving activation codes (haven’t claimed for years ) and being warned not to drive, for fear of causing more damage, I sat and had a cup of tea. My nice relaxing evening ruined.

I thought, the Christian life is like that. You can be going on smoothly , smoothly oh so carefully, thinking you have everything covered, in its place, when you hit a bump in the road. I felt the twang to get iPad and write down my thoughts – the result of this piece.

It might be a serious impasse, or your movement, advancement , passage – (ability to get somewhere) impeded in some way for a while. God only knows who is going to pick J up tonight!!! It happens to all of us. I had been trying to do a good deed. I didn’t see the high curb or road block, but I heard the sound. Superficially, all looked intact on the outside of my vehicle – I hadn’t explored any deeper. The other person I was relying on (bless her) had her head in the clouds – heading for a destination elsewhere. I had driven back home oblivious to the potential peril, right underneath my nose ie the oil ..maybe, (my very life ….) leaking out underneath me.

And so, I want to lift this circumstance to the Lord and also to use it as a metaphor for our lives as Christians . I want to encourage us to review , take care and to watch out.

We are (if you like) delicate vehicles, God’s master piece. We have been given a wonderful vessel and certain power tools to get us from the A to B’s of life. I love my own. We need to not only be on the look out for obstacles, but use these tools carefully and take responsibility for how we handle them. We need (at times )to get down on our knees …… and check (ask Father to shine his light and help us look under the bonnet and chassis) to see whether everything is as it should be. Don’t rely on others to sign you off as road worthy , get down and ask the Master Craftsman/Mechanic yourself.

Some of us have had serious hard knocks (not always of our own doing), but making a loud clanging noise and needing some care and attention. Some of us are leaking, been leaking , running on empty, about to break down or expire. Lord help us.

I pray like my vigilant neighbour, that Father will send covering, rescue , divine help from his sanctuary – someone who sees, who can look out for us and protect us from harm or from causing further damage to ourselves or others.

My own story ends on a good note and all is well. I am covered. I had taken out insurance…!!

Evangelist Linda Clifford-Hayes

July 2018 – the day after my happy birthday…!!!