I heard of a man named Herbert Jackson who, as a new missionary, was assigned a car that would only start with a push. After pondering his problem, Jackson devised a plan. He went to the school near his home and got permission to take some children out of class, and he had them push his car off to bump start it. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years.
Poor health forced Jackson to leave the mission field (he probably wore himself out pushing the car everywhere) and a new missionary came to replace him. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, “Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable.” He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson’s astonishment, the engine roared to life.
For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work.
J. B. Phillips paraphrases Ephesians 1:19,
“How tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God.”
It’s one thing to know the saving power of Jesus, and it’s another thing to have His saving power flowing through us. The Holy Spirit is the decided difference in making us stronger in our walk for the Lord and in making us more effective witnesses.
Let the Lord check under your hood…before you wear yourself out.
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