Sing it with me now…Jesus, take the wheel. Ha!
Just kidding. But seriously. Most of you probably remember this song that
was oversung a few years ago. There were
thousands too many times it was played on the radio. Thousands too many t-shirts it was printed
on. Thousands too many YouTube videos
with lame graphics synced to the words.
Thousands too many cars scarred with the bumper sticker. Thousands too many times it was sung, but
never prayed or lived out.
Ooooh, made you look…inside yourself. As I was praying today (now when I say
praying what I really mean is “as God was reminding me how sovereign He is and
how human I am”) an oft-quoted phrase came to mind. “It’s impossible to steer a parked car.” Far from the spiritual nuggets some receive
as they pray, but nevertheless it impacted me just as deeply. I began to explore my ambitions. My spiritual dreams. My Kingdom goals. Things I want to do in His church. Things I want to do FOR Him. And with every single thing I felt like He
was asking me to “lay them all out before Me.”
Because if there is ONE thing I have learned (or at least been exposed
to over and over) in my short 29 years is that, yes, it’s GREAT to have spiritual
dreams, goals & ambitions, but even those can be driven by the flesh. Having dreams & ambitions is right. It’s normal.
It’s good. BUT I can’t rely on
myself. Because I am human my own
desires for me can distract me from God’s desires for me.
And so, I was doing as He asked. I was laying them all out before Him. Asking Him to check them and make sure that
what was in my heart to do for Him was fueled by a pure motive. I gave Him everything I want to do in the
future and everything I am currently doing for Him now. And that’s when God quoted that line back to
me “It’s impossible to steer a parked car.”
Now granted, God as the human Jesus never drove a car…so if you
over-thinkers need to, think of it this way “It’s impossible to guide a sitting
donkey.” The principle is really what’s
important here, and that is whatever you “hope to do someday” or “dream of
doing for God” is fueled and birthed in what you are doing now. To sit and wait on that magical day to dawn
will leave you sitting and waiting forever.
So…start your engines and get moving! Do what it takes to keep the engine
running…prayer & fasting. Do what it
takes to keep the pistons firing…personal evangelism. Take a look under the hood and see if there
are some unnecessary priorities clogging the fuel line. Get a regular tune-up…faithful to
church. Read a map…the Word. Make sure the tires have plenty of air…get involved
in the Kingdom wherever you can. Be what
YOU can be. Do what YOU can do. Get your
car in motion. But let Jesus take the
wheel!
