A hundred kilometres an hour clicked smoothly by 鈥� until the harsh scraping sound from under the van rudely interrupted. 鈥淲HAT鈥橲 THAT?鈥� The Preacher slowed and pulled off the highway. Fearing the worst, we got out and inspected below.
A loose narrow rod, bent at both ends, rested on a crossbar. One end dangled, touching the ground. 鈥淢ust have fallen off the motor,鈥� the Preacher said, fishing it out and inspecting. 鈥淟ooks like it held something in place.鈥�
We set out again, praying to make it home safely. The vehicle seemed fine. Nevertheless, I worried.
鈥淒on鈥檛 go over any bumps,鈥� said the driver in the passenger seat. 鈥淎nd watch out for potholes.鈥�
鈥淗mm, hmm,鈥� said the driver in the driver鈥檚 seat.
鈥淲ouldn鈥檛 want whatever that thing was holding up to drop out,鈥� I said. As a female, I clearly understand best the importance of straps and such for holding in and up things best held in and up.
鈥淗mmm, hmm.鈥�
鈥淎nd turn in at the north end of town. Not as many potholes.鈥�
He chuckled.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 so funny?鈥�
鈥淥h, just thinking of the first chapter in your last book,鈥� he said, aiming low.
I remembered. That chapter in Practice by Practice involves both worry and faith. 鈥淗ey, no fair,鈥� I said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a realist. And speaking realistically, Hon, some things are worth getting concerned over, even while trusting God for answers. If our bottom caves, we could be in serious trouble.鈥�
He shrugged. It irks me when the Preacher doesn鈥檛 worry about the things that worry me. 鈥淒on鈥檛 need to,鈥� he says. 鈥淒oesn鈥檛 help. Besides, you do enough worrying for us both.鈥�
I admit it. Sometimes my faith needs a reboot. I also need to review our own backstory. In all our life journeys, in far more dire circumstances, even life-threatening ones, God has proved himself absolutely faithful to the promises in his Word.
鈥淚 am with you always, even until the end,鈥� Jesus told his followers in Matthew 28. And, 鈥淟eave all your worries with him, because he cares for you,鈥� scripture reminds in 1 Peter 5:7.
Friend, on good days when life is full and on others when it feels like the bottom is dropping (taking us along) God is there. God cares. He is trustworthy. Faithful. Able to rescue. And he always keeps his word.
But God is never bound by our timeline, nor our demands for explanations when it would seem otherwise. I hear an echo of God in a classic Mary Poppins quote: 鈥淔irst of all, I would like to make one thing clear: I never explain anything.鈥�
