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No Reverse
September 17, 2011
The first time I saw her, I fell in love. She was a beauty. Sleek. Clean. Radiant. As soon as I spied the 1962 Ford Thunderbird at the used-car lot, her shiny exterior and killer interior beckoned me. I knew this was the car for me. So I plunked down $800 and purchased my very first car.
But there was a problem lurking inside my prized possession. A few months after I bought my T-Bird, it suddenly became particular about which way I could go. It allowed me to go forward, but I couldn’t go backward. It had no reverse.
Although not having reverse is a problem in a car, sometimes it’s good for us to be a little like my old T-Bird. We need to keep going forward—without the possibility of putting life into reverse. In our walk with Jesus, we need to refuse to go backward. Paul said it simply: We need to “press toward the goal” (Phil. 3:14).
Perhaps the children of Israel could have used my T-Bird’s transmission. We read in Exodus 16 that they were in danger of putting life into reverse. Despite the many miracles God had performed, they longed for Egypt and failed to trust that He could guide them forward.
We need to keep moving ahead in our walk with God. Don’t back up. Look forward. Press on.
When long and steep the path appears
Or heavy is the task,
Our Father says, “Press on, My child;
One step is all I ask.” —D. De Haan
When facing a crisis, trust God and move forward.
Read: Exodus 16:1-12
You shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. —
Exodus 16:6We all like to see where we are going. There are cars today with a camera in back showing the Driver what is behind the car. Great idea.
We too bought a black thunderbird (used) in 1964 ... turned out it had belonged to s salesman, so it had lots of miles on it. We loved it. Only the power steering went out, the transmission had problems, and the rear wheels began to sound stripped. We did not have monies for all the repairs, on going. We had 3 children riding in the back seat. So we traded for a new station wagon, as it was called then. Cars come and cars go, I am driving a Mark 8 now. It has under 40,000 thousand miles on it. Living in a town of 110,000 people everything is close.
Amazing how much energy we put in having a car we feel good in driving. Something to do with false hopes. The one and only hope that will never fail us, is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us keep our eyes upon Jesus look in his wonderful face and the joy will come ...
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Helen Lemmel 1922
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conqu’rors we are!
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!”
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