Clogged Fuel Line
Scripture
Reading: Hebrews 12:1-13
Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,
let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so
easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before
us. (Heb. 12:1 NLT)
Spring has finally arrived. It’s time to begin
mowing the lawn again. Out came the self-propelled Lawn Boy. I checked the gas,
oil, and spark plug. All was in readiness for the season, or so I thought.
After filling it with fresh gas, I held the safety lever and pulled the starter
cord. NOTHING! I primed it a few more times and pulled again, NOTHING. Again
and again I tried to get it started, but to no avail. I promptly took it over
to the local lawn service shop only to find that the tiny carburetor jet was
clogged. Apparently a tiny piece of dirt was preventing gas from getting to the
engine. After spraying a small amount of gas into the carburetor, the engine
started fine.
This
incident reminds me of my spiritual life. Like my lawn mower, my spiritual life
gets clogged with dirt from the cares of this world. The little sins that go
unconfessed, keep me from functioning spiritually. Outwardly I appear calm, but
within, a raging fire is burning. The joy of the Lord is blocked and no matter
how much effort I put forth, my faith engine won’t run. Nothing is more
discouraging than a spiritual engine that won’t function.
In order
for my physical lawn mower engine to run smoothly, I had to take it in for an
overhaul. The dirt in the carburetor had to be removed and the little jet
replaced. If I want the joy of the Lord to return and my spiritual life to
function smoothly, an overhaul by God is necessary. This means identifying the
sin that is causing my clogged spiritual life to malfunction. Then I must be
willing to confess and turn away from that sin which so easily besets me. Once
that is accomplished the spiritual flow of God’s grace will be able to fill me
and renew my spirit. A revived spirit within me will enable my spiritual life
to function effectively.
Are you
having difficulty getting your spiritual engine to function? Is there something
that is coming between you and your Savior? Sin has a way of clogging our
engines and keeping them from running. Do you need a complete overhaul or just
a little tune-up? Whichever the case may be, rest assured that God is ready and
willing to meet your needs. Confession is the cleansing agent that will enable
your spiritual engine to restart and run smoothly.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only
fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to
him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
wickedness. (1 John 1:8.9 NLT)
Prayer: Dear Lord,
help me keep my spiritual life running smoothly as I confess my sins to you
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