I don’t remember the day or the hour that
I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away. I was a young man
void of social skills & life in general at the time; confused,
irresponsible and totally deluded as the tics & traits of autism developed.
Growing up with behavioral problems is not something I appreciate talking about
but it’s a fact just the same. My parents released me into the custody of
the Mennonite Church every Sunday morning which
was an anxiety hiatus at home and then gave the church folks an extra reason to rejoice
when the service was over. As time passed I found myself in a Pentecostal Church
across the alley from the house where we lived in Toledo, Ohio. I mention all of this because I don’t
think I was really paying attention during any phase of these old school church
encounters.
When I was 21 I
met an old acquaintance from the foster home circuit while I was driving cab.
He invited me to his church and I was compelled to go after reading Hal
Lindsey; and was becoming aware of & scared to death of... missing the rapture. That night I went to The First Apostolic United Pentecostal Church
and my world changed forever. I remember the alter call and very little about
the actual message but when I left that night everything was different and nothing
was the same. I was baptized in Jesus name and filled with the Holy Ghost that
next week. I hope to post a significant testimony as to God's prevailing concern for those who are His.
So now let me
share the story seen from the angle of the classic car
that you pass on the road from time to time. The day I was set apart unto God
was the best day of my life. What follows is an allegory of my salvation as it
relates to a brand new automobile. My experience with the Lord on the day I was
saved was in showroom condition. It looked great; it shined and had that new
car smell that was pleasant to breathe. The Lord handed me the keys and gave me
the title to an awesome responsibility and to tell the truth I was proud of it
in an innocent sort of way. It came with a full tank of gas and an owner’s
manual. There were limitations and maintenance requirements and I was given
charge of a powerful new vehicle.
At first I kept it washed and shined it
often. I changed the oil and rotated the tires just like the service agreements
specified. I was careful in the traffic and kept my speed to a minimum, well,
to some degree. Then time began to have its way and the novelty started to wear
thin. After a good season of learning about what was required of me as an owner
and manager of such a wonderful gift, I began to get a bit lazy. I didn’t wash
it as often and I ran a few stop signs. I got pulled over once or twice for
some infraction or a busted tail light. I became lax about taking care of the
basic business and soon I began to hear a noise in the transmission. A tire
went bad and the dent wasn’t my fault. A car must have backed into me at a
shopping mall or a local tavern. It couldn’t have been at church or an auto
parts store because I hadn’t parked close to one of those for some time. Little
by little and day by day my blessing began to fall apart and I stayed parked
for lack fuel and maintenance. It wasn’t long before the bird droppings and the
weather laid claim to my existence. I was forced to move on because of personal
issues and the last I saw of salvation, it was sitting in the yard, up on
blocks and beyond repair. When I left that day I thought I’d never see it
again.
As the years
passed I walked or hitchhiked everywhere. I went to Texas,
New Mexico and Arizona. I drove other people around from
time to time in their own car and was an expert on their salvation but didn’t
even have the compassion to change a tire for them. I would think about my
salvation and cry big tears of sorrow but did little to address the topic until
the Lord began to deal with me about returning to the scene of the crime. I said
things like; it’s too late but I should go back and scrap it out for parts.
Maybe I could sign it over to the devil for 30 pieces of silver and get me a
nice bicycle. Praise God, the Lord didn’t see it that way. When I had absolutely
nothing left in this world He reminded me that I still had an old clunker
sitting in my yard. After convincing me that He would help me restore it to its
original condition I was on the road again home.
It was an
embarrassing encounter the day I first saw it in this new light and the burden
of my heart was that it was raining and I didn’t look any better then the old
beater that sat there before me. We both needed washing at the very least. What
could possibly be the first move here? I was clueless but the Lord said let’s
start by getting the engine running again. That would be the heart of the
matter. Many replacement parts were needed and as time passed I still walked to
work but the sound of the engine running at last was a pleasant sound in my
ears. After a new set of tires and a major clutch and fly wheel overhaul we
were close to being at least road worthy. At first I could only drive during
the day as I hadn’t dealt with a broken headlight yet and the crack in the
windshield was a ticket magnet. As the days passed the responsibility returned
and I worked out my own salvation with fear and trembling, like the Bible says.
I was soon being seen on the street again behind the wheel of the best thing I
ever owned. It didn’t look good on the outside and a trip to the body shop was
in the forecast. The engine hummed and the noise in the differential
disappeared. I too began to show signs of improvement as I told other owners
the truth about WD40 and the GPS. I was looked to as an authority on disrepair
and was able to steer a few novice owners away from the ditch ahead.
The Lord
helped me keep any pride in check as my old clunker turned in to a car show
classic. I was this close to joining a Classic Car Club for Jesus group but the
Lord said, don’t even go there. I allowed Him to continue the up keep and
receive the credit as I had little to do with the restoration of my vintage
experience in Christ. These days I get looks when I drive down the street and
people make comments but in the end they may never understand this whole story.
I saw an old man in a vintage model the other day and his story was that he got
it brand new and has owned it and kept it in show room condition since the day
he first drove it. I was blessed to know that there are people in this world
who have a healthy respect for the gift that God has given them and take care
of it with their life. I too now tell my story when I meet the guy who just
obtained the title to his new ride and advise him to drive with the utmost
consideration for others on the highway and to keep his eye on the fluids.
There’s no telling where he will be in 10 years but I pray that he has sense
enough to maintain that wonderful blessing called salvation.
One other thing
should be mentioned. The Lord held the title during the whole process of
preserving and restoring my soul. That probably explains why I couldn’t find
the title until I searched the scripture and found it in the top drawer. It was
there all the time.
Being confident of this very thing, that he
which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ: Phil 1:6
….let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith;… ( lifted out of Hebrew 12:1-2 )
