The Tale of the Missing
Taillight
Life is real. If you are honest at least with yourself, you
will know that life is not all victory, sweet moments, and “I’m wonderful.”
Life has its times when it is just plain hard. There are times when despite
what we tell others, we hurt inside. Even as those who do have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ, who do know what the Word of God says and
believe it that He loves us with an infinite love, and never leaves us. There
are very real times of pain, and loneliness when we question ourselves, we
don’t “feel” His nearness, and we just allow ourselves to get into a “funk.”
It’s just life… it’s the way it is…let’s be honest.
This is exacerbated when we are not feeling well physically,
and or when we are going through a particularly challenging time emotionally,
financially, or whatever. You with me?
Recently I have been going through one of those times.
Questions about finances, personal relational issues that remain unresolved,
questions about direction of ministry, and frankly, what my life is supposed to
look like. I live in a time of many such questions and unknowns. It’s not that
I don’t know all the “right things,” it’s just that with physical exhaustion,
added to this, it’s been difficult. Isolated, alone, unknowns, I was praying,
and reading and studying, but still at times struggling.
One of the hobbies I have had since my early teenage years
(that’s over 55 years) has been building model cars. When I was thirteen years
of age, I won a first place trophy in a model car contest, and have continued
the hobby over the years. It’s a way to relax (usually) and something I enjoy.
I had been working on a project for some time. It’s had it’s problems. I always
like to do custom work on my cars, so I had done some personal customizing on
this model of a 1957 Chrysler 300. The paint was done for the second time, all
was ready to start putting it together when I noticed that one of the small
taillights for the car was missing. These are not big pieces, and I had not idea
where it might have gone. I was really
kind of ticked off at the whole situation, and was in the kind of mood where I
was thinking, “yea, just another crappy thing in my life… can’t even do this
right.” You know how it goes. Even one of those times when I’m saying, “Lord,
why do you let this stuff happen to me? You know how down I am anyway!”
I had searched every box, I had searched the entire carpet
in my bedroom where I was doing the work with a high power flashlight… nothing.
Searching over and over again… nothing. Gone! Where could it have gone? I was
only working on this model in my bedroom at my desk. I had had them both just a
couple days before as I prepared them to glue into place. And now, I had only
one, and was left with the prospect of having to form a different kind of
taillight by hand. There was a day when I had drawers full of parts that I
could have used… but not now. Just
another “sucker punch” to my already aching jaw.
Then, one evening as I was in the kitchen finishing up
washing the dishes, it felt like I stepped on something. It was big enough to
hurt, so I looked around on the floor, and lo and behold, there was that
taillight, on the kitchen floor! I had not had my model or the boxes in the
kitchen. How it got there I had no idea, but there it was. And then came that
still small voice, so gentle and loving. “I just wanted you to know that I’ve
got you. This was a way for me to show you that, yes, I am here, and yes I
care. Relax in my arms and let go of your anxiety and stressed. Just like I let
you find this taillight, I am with you in all the other bigger things in your
life. Relax” Wow, Lord! You would use a little thing like this taillight to let
me know that you are holding me? Thanks for reminding me of your great love and
grace!
I imagine that there may be some things in your life, or
there will be some things in your life that have gotten you down, and you feel
alone, abandoned, and discouraged in the midst of the battle. Remember the Tale
of the Missing Taillight. He knows you. He knows your needs. He cares about
ever detail of your life, and wants you and me to know that we are always in
His hands. Even when we don’t “feel” like it. Allow Him to remind you of that
fact today… and whenever you feel alone and overwhelmed.
As David says in Psalm 73: 22-24: I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a
senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right
hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
