Monday, August 19, 2013
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There's not much amusing, of course, about an automobile accident, but my friend Jean's accident did have a little smile at the end; at least in retrospect. This car came charging into her right rear door all of a sudden, and "boom" there was one of those discouraging days when your car doesn't quite look the same as when you left home.
Her daughter's head hit the glass in the passenger's side window and broke it. And Jean's glasses went flying. Well, thankfully there was no serious injury, and the policeman said after his investigation, "I think it will be okay for you to drive the car home." Well, apparently the computerized monitor in the dashboard didn't know that. Because all the way home the computer voice kept saying, "Right door is open. Fuel level is low." Actually, the right door was damaged a little, but it wasn't open. And that voice just kept insisting "Fuel level is low. Fuel level is low." Well, that voice had no way of knowing she had just filled the car with gas and the gauge said full but the voice said empty. Poor Jean! She took a hit, and then she started getting all kinds of wrong messages.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Messages After The Hit."
Our word for today from the Word of God; we're in Psalm 119, beginning at verse 25. David's in pretty bad shape here. He says, "I am laid low in the dust. Preserve my life according to Your Word." Verse 28, "My soul is weary with sorrow. Strengthen me according to Your Word." Verse 49, "Remember Your Word to your servant, for You have given me hope." Verse 50, our word for today from the Word of God really focuses on this one, "My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life."
It seems that David is saying something like this. "When my heart is hurting, when my spirit is doubting, when my feelings are crashing, I hold onto Your Word, Lord" like a drowning man clings desperately to a life preserver.
And David says, "Your Word, Lord, is what preserves my life. See, when you've been hit, you start hearing a lot of wrong messages like Jean did. "God doesn't care. You've got no reason to go on. You can't live without what you just lost. You might as well quit trying. Why don't you get even? You have a right to be bitter. God can't use you any more." Lies! Those are lies! They are wrong messages. But your feelings have lied to you thousands of times.
Take David's advice, "As soon as you get hit, you dive into your Bible. Don't trust your feelings. Don't trust those messages." You say, "Well, I don't feel like getting into the Bible right now." That's when you've got to do it. That's when it's most urgent that you do. You'll only be able to escape the lies if you immerse yourself in the truth. Ask God to hug you with His Word, to hold you with His Word, to support you with His Word, to give you hope with His Word. Memorize it; quote it when the dark feelings come. His promise will preserve your life.
While that voice was telling my friend "Fuel level is low", the gauge was telling my friend the truth. God's words; they're the gauge that will expose the lies that your confused emotions are telling you. Let God's voice override all those obnoxious messages.