Christian Living
Always Be Prepared
By: Donna Haug
October 30,2003
My husband is an outdoor, 4x4 enthusiast. Having grown up in Tanzania, Africa, hunting on a regular basis with his father to provide meat for their Bible School may have had a little to do with that. Interestingly, today his father would be perfectly content to never see another mud puddle or ever have to overcome another obstacle while driving. But for Mark, a detour through the mud or taking the obviously more challenging route so that someone else can follow the actual trail is an irresistible thrill.
One amazing thing to watch is the transformation that happens to Mark’s trucks. When we bought our current double-cab pick-up, it looked similar to any other plain 4x4 truck. It slowly evolved into a super-equipped vehicle that can go just about anywhere – at least that’s the belief of my dear hubby. The extra fuel tank enables us to travel longer distances without refueling, which can be a real blessing while traveling in countries like Zimbabwe at this point in time. The winch, tow straps, D-shackles, and hitch give him the assurance that regardless of the circumstance he should face while driving on these unpredictable Mozambican roads, he is prepared! The spare tire, high-lift jack, spare fan belts, tool box and much more gives him the confidence that should something go wrong in the middle of nowhere, he will most likely be able to get himself out of the situation. His motto is “always be prepared!”
I was sitting in the truck today waiting for Mark as he stood in line at the bank. He couldn’t find a parking space in the shade, so rather then sit in the hot sunshine and bake while I waited, I asked him to leave the truck running with the air conditioner on. What a blessing air conditioning is!
As I sat there, I began thinking about how our life in Christ is similar to being inside this truck. When we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, it’s like we sit in the passenger seat of a very well equipped 4x4 truck. Our experienced Driver knows the best route to take and is capable of handling any difficulty or obstacle sent our way. Sitting in this truck will not keep us from facing the trials and hard times of life, but Christ is our protection, our shelter, and our means of making it through. He has provided everything we need to face the challenges in our lives. Sometimes all we will need is a good strong winch of faith attached to a solid, unmovable object. Other times we will need the aid of other 4x4 trucks to pull us out. On our own we could not make it, but Christ has supplied us with the tow straps, and accessories necessary so that all we have to do is reach out to our brother and with their help, love and faithfulness we will make it. Things may still go wrong. We may still get punctured tires or our fan belts may break from the wear and tear of daily life, but we know that our Driver is well prepared and ready for any emergency. We can have faith in Him to fix the problem and soon we’ll be back on our way again. The heat, rain or wind may still assail our truck, but inside we are sheltered from the elements by the peace and joy that can only come from our Lord.
You may be a ‘city-slicker’ and not have any interest whatsoever in 4x4ing. But, my friend, this life can be one bumpy trail. It’s not always a nice smooth highway. Unpredictable things happen all the time. Be assured that you are in good hands if your faith is in Christ Jesus! You don’t need to know much about surviving the wilds. You just need to be with Someone who knows it all. God has equipped your life with everything you need to make it through without breaking down indefinitely or getting hopelessly stuck. The next time you get bogged down in the mire or feel like you are sitting at the side of the road with your hood up, remember that your Driver is more then capable of handling every situation. You can trust Him. With Him, you too will “always be prepared”.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 2183 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Donna Haug or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 2183 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.