A friend of mine got a new car last week and offered me a ride. It’s been a while since I got my last new vehicle so I’d forgotten how unique that “new car smell” really is.
When you first buy a new car, you look for every opportunity to drive it, volunteering to chauffer people about; running errands becomes a joy rather than a burden. Even running a letter to the post office is a treat when you slip behind the wheel of your new car and breathe in the smell of an interior that’s yet to be christened by the smell of McDonald’s Happy Meals, Chinese take-out or your pooch’s quarterly grooming trip.
Eventually though reality settles in, the new car smell wears off with each successive monthly payment and before long the kids are drawing pictures of “WASH ME” on the back tailgate. You forego the carwash altogether waiting until monsoon season trusting the universe to take care of that detail and you’ve given up on staying ahead of vacuuming up the remnants of the after-game soccer death matches.
With little or no effort, your treasured new car has simply become just another obligation.
Riding with my friend this week and sharing her new car smell and excitement started me thinking about the parallels with our excitement over new things and our relationship with Christ.
When I first got saved I couldn’t wait to share my faith with others – sort of like taking that new car out every chance I got – I couldn’t wait to show off my relationship with Jesus and talk about how He was working in my life. Once life got busy though and I became one of those busy moms that keeps precariously balanced schedules, my excitement for Jesus waned somewhat. Squeezing in time for church, prayer and ministry became an obligation to pencil in on an already over-burdened calendar.
I spent a few hours at Starbucks this week with a new friend getting to know one another. Over the course of the evening I shared with her my walk with Christ. I shared story after story of some of the amazing prayers God Has answered in my life and miracles I’ve seen unfold. Once I opened up I couldn’t stop talking and was overwhelmed by the unbelievable walk I’ve had these last 30 + years following Christ.
To share my many victories was like that “just saved” attitude again. I’d conveniently forgotten some of the miracles God has worked in my life. It’s hard to believe that I could ever take that power that’s living on the inside of me for granted – but I’m guilty as charged.
If we only drive that new car to and from the grocery store we tend to forget what power lies under the hood. I confess all too often I take God’s power and miracles for granted. Thankfully God uses new car smells and Starbucks encounters to reignite my flame and remind me He’s not merely an obligation but my whole life and far better than any new car I’ll ever drive.
As always – God is so amazing!
Blessings In Christ,
Kathy
Thank you, Kathy, for this incredibly profound analogy. You are such a gifted writer, and I thank God you write for His Kingdom.