Encouragement

---

Walking and driving using roads and highways with several inch-deep snows could be torturous, if not dangerous. This is the case when Metro Vancouver experienced a heavy snow falling intermittently over a period of two weeks. While snow at main roads are periodically plowed by city crews, local and interior roads serving neighborhoods are left with snow piling up to knee-deep, which makes driving or walking a real nightmare.

One morning, I braved the thick of the snow and headed to office for work, confident that my AWD vehicle can easily make it just like” walking in the park”. With snow as thick as 12 inches, I inched my way to reach the end of my driveway. Backing off and slightly increasing speed to align with the road, the sound of engine started to roar which meant that the wheels are turning but not gripping to any hard surface or foundation. The car is stuck! With a little push to the accelerator, the car still can’t move. A neighbor who is passing through came closer and gave a cursory look at the still-moving wheel tires. The man signaled me to press a bit on accelerator but worst it got stuck going deeper into the snow. He tried steering and tried various gear shift position but to no avail. This car is no match to this kind of snow. My neighbor, sensing that the car is going nowhere, excused himself as he, too is going to work that morning. While slumping to seat in utter desperation, I noticed a button beside the gear shift lever. I haven’t used that button before and have no idea of the function of this button. I reached for the car owner’s instruction manual and started reading what that button is for. It says the button is a special gear shift to ensure a smooth and safe driving over a medium to heavy snowy road conditions. After turning on the button and pressing a bit on the accelerator the whirring sound disappeared. The car started to move forward and backward, too. I gave the accelerator a final push and “lo and behold” the car was able to moved, left that spot and reached my destination.

In most scheme of things, we boast ourselves and take pride that we can do things by our own doings. With education and experiences, backed with material possessions, we consider ourselves accomplished, unstoppable and can hit the road with success “just like walking in the park”. We are overly confident that things, materials and all of such desired things can be obtained by our ‘qualifications’. We are boasting that we find our salvation and all the good things in life by our own accomplishment. Ephesians 2: 8-9, simply tells us it is only by God’s grace that we have been saved. Our Almighty God is our Creator who knows every bit of ourselves. As created beings, we hold no authority to pride and boast of ourselves. We can do nothing but to submit to His majestic and loving authority. We have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ which freed us from the slavery of sin should guide us to acknowledge that we are not capable of doing simple or majestic things.

Given the fact that we have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, all of our life’s aspects should be anchored to His teaching and instructions. We might have accumulated knowledge and experienced the rudiments of life, but this is no match to the rigor and trials and schemes of the enemies. Unless we acknowledge God’s omnipotence and rely on His words, we are nothing but pile of rubbish before God’s sight. God’s word is our Life Instruction Manual (2 Tim 3:16) that we can always read and refer during turbulent period of spiritual life’s storm. No matter how strong that storm is, surely enough we can overcome all obstacles. Our life’s failure and weaknesses could hamper our journey, but it we cling to God and to His teachings, we can surely move forward and reach our destination.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE