Monday, December 6, 2004
There's not much amusing about an automobile accident, but my friend Jean's accident - it had a little smile at the end of it at least. She got hit in the right rear door of her car, and her daughter's head actually broke the glass in the passenger side window. Jean's glasses went flying, and thank the Lord there was no serious injury. The police looked at the car, and they said, "Well, it's OK to drive." They knew that. She knew that, but apparently the computerized monitor in the dashboard didn't know that because all the way home this computer voice kept saying, "Right door is open. Fuel level is low." Actually, the right door was damaged, but no, it wasn't open. And the voice insisted, "Fuel level is low." She had just filled the car with gas! The gauge was on "F" for "Full." 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."
My friend's experience actually models some of our own - when we take a hit in our life. Maybe your life has been abruptly interrupted by a tragedy, a loss, a sudden disappointment, maybe a betrayal or an illness. In some way, one of life's "heavies" has ploughed into you, and that's when you start to hear all these wrong messages in your heart.
Our word for today from the Word of God is Psalm 119:25. David said, "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 says, "Remember your Word to your servant for you have given me hope." Verse 50, "My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life." See, David is saying basically, "When my heart is hurting, my spirit is doubting, my feelings are crashing, I hold onto your Word, Lord - like a drowning person clings desperately to a life preserver." And when you've been hit, you start hearing a lot of wrong messages in your soul. Maybe you're hearing them right now. Maybe you're believing them: "God doesn't care." "Look at what's happened." "You don't have any reason to go on!" "Well, you can't live without what you lost, man." "Hey, you might as well just quit trying, huh?" Or, "Get even!" "Be bitter." Or, "God can't use you any more, not after this!" Lies - those are just lies! But your feelings have lied to you before haven't they? Thousands of times!
Take David's advice. As soon as you get hit, dive into the Bible. You may not feel like it, but that's when you need to do it the most! Ask God to hug you with His Word, to hold you, to support you, to "give you hope," like the verse said. Memorize the verses that give you hope. Quote them when the feelings come and answer the lie with God's truth. Remember, "Your promise, Lord, preserves my life." While that voice was saying to my friend Jean, "fuel level low" the gauge was telling the truth.
God's words recorded in your Bible are the gauge that will expose the lies that your confused emotions are trying to tell you. Don't believe the lies. Let God's voice, through His wonderful Word, override all those obnoxious messages.