Power Steering

This past weekend I was asked to speak at my congregation's annual ladies' retreat.  I was terrified, having never spoken in public before, but I feel I did pretty well.  Our theme was "Power Surge" and my topic was "Power Steering: Letting God Drive" and I'd like to share it with you all now.

__________________________________

Several years ago, when I was about 20, my husband and I bought our first car together. We were young and broke so we went to one of those little “buy here – pay here” places. We had two requirements: that it be cheap and easy on gas. We found what we were looking for (and then some) in an adorable little Mercury Capri 5 speed convertible. Not the most practical of cars, but again, we were young (and, as often goes hand in hand with being young, dumb). Having never driven a manual transmission before, the dealer had to teach me how to drive it while on our test drive. It was then that I learned that the car had no power steering. “It's so small, it doesn't need it!” the dealer explained. “Oh, of course”, I said, “that makes sense.” (I told you I was young and dumb right?) SO, long story short, we bought it. Now imagine for a moment that you are completely new to driving a 5 speed and, at the same time, you are having to pull and push and turn this steering wheel with all the might in your left hand. It didn't go well. Getting around on the curvy, hilly terrain where we live was difficult to say the least. But we accepted it, what else could we do? This car just didn't need power steering. After a while it was time for some regular maintenance of some sort and the mechanic said, “You know the car is out of power steering fluid, right?” We were dumbfounded. All this car needed was the addition of this certain red liquid and it became easy to drive. Curves in the road were no problem for the little convertible anymore: Now it had POWER STEERING. Isn't that us? Struggling down life's road until another certain red liquid, the blood of Jesus Christ, make curves in the road easier for us to handle, too.

What is Power Steering in our lives?

Let's start with the steering:

Dictionary.com defines the word “steer” as “to guide the course of something in motion by rudder, helm, wheel, etc.”

Guide the course –

What guides our course on a daily basis? Are we the ones at the wheel, pushing and pulling and turning with all our might? Do we try to control our lives and the direction we're going? Oh, we know what we want and we know the path to get there – and yet we wonder why that path is so littered with obstacles. In Psalm 25:5, David writes “Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God, my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.” and later in chapter 48:14 “For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our Guide even to the end.” 

 

In my research, I came across a book called Answered Prayers: Love Letters from the Divine by Julia Cameron. In it, Ms. Cameron attempts to say what God would say to us in answer to our prayers. While I can't say I agree that she's speaking for God, one passage did jump out at me and I can imagine God whispering these words to me.

“You put Me at a distance. You want to run your own life and then you wonder at its emptiness...You imagine you are alone. This is never true. When you wake up, I am there. My hands are ready to hold your day...There is nothing too large or too small for Me. I am ready to hold it all...You fear your future. Why? I will be there. I will lead you step-by-step as I lead you now – when you allow me. Wake with Me in the mornings. Place your days in My care. Allow Me to shepherd you. Permit Me to be your guide. I am with you always.”

In Genesis 28, when Jacob is on the run from his brother Esau, fearing for his life, the Lord comes to him in a dream and assures Jacob that he will be protected. The Lord will provide for him and his descendants. That He has already made the plans for Jacob and his family and will guide him to that future. In verse 15, God says to Jacob in that dream, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Later, as God guided the Israelites – Jacob's descendants – out of slavery in Egypt and into Canaan, He did not leave them to find their own way. He gave them a pillar of clouds to follow in the day and a pillar of fire to follow when it was dark. He provided for their every need with fresh water and quail and manna. He placed Moses and Aaron and then Joshua in positions to lead them. He gave them rules to follow so that they could live as He wanted for them to live. But like so many of us, they often grew impatient and tired and came to think they knew better than God. They repeatedly said they'd rather go back into slavery in Egypt than continue on in God's guidance to the freedom of the promised land. For this, they were lost for years, wandering the dessert. When they tried to do as they pleased and refused to allow God to guide them, the way became more difficult. Like me, driving that car with no power steering – missing something and not even knowing it.

So now, for the Power – The definition of power is “great or marked ability to do or act; strength; might; force” or “to give power to; to make powerful; to inspire; spur; sustain.”

Who of us has power? I can do some things. I'd even venture to say I am good at a few things. And I am sure you are, too. But would you use the words might, strength or force to describe your abilities? I am sure all of us in this room have made something well. Maybe you can paint a picture, plant a garden, prepare a wonderful meal... But who of us could even imagine creating the world? Who could design the perfection of this earth? I am in awe of His creation every day.

The Bible contains more references to God's power than I can count. He has saved His people from slavery and felled walls of great cities, but His power is not always in the big things. Sometimes it is in the small, everyday moments of our lives that His real power is revealed. How many times has He been there as a comfort when you were sad? How many times has He been there rejoicing with you? Everything in your life and my life and the lives of everyone on this earth matters to the Lord. He is capable of more love and compassion than you or I could fathom. He was even strong enough to send His only son to suffer and die. Who of us could do that? Not me.

Every spring, when my rosebushes bloom, I think of a poem I read in a church bulletin years ago. I was unable to find out who wrote it, but I'd like to share it with you:

It is only a tiny rosebud,
a flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
God opens this flower so sweetly,
When in my hands they fade and die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I think I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day.
I will look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,
Only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust in Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.

I can't put into words how much this effects me. There have been so many times in my life when I thought I was in control. That I could handle anything this life could throw at me. But, of course, I was wrong. No matter how hard I pull on that steering wheel, it will never be enough. Only God's hand is powerful enough to steady the wheel and keep my life on His path. 

Finally, I want to close with just this one verse: Jeremiah 10:6 says. “No one is like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power.”