The Journey - Flat Tyre

Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come... so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them. Ecclesiastes 9:12

Everything on our journey does not go to plan. If we are fortunate, most things run smoothly, but then there’s the whopper that comes along out of the blue. You don’t see it coming and so it hits harder than usual. No one likes the unexpected, and when it happens, it can hurt and hurt badly. A flat tyre can ruin the holiday car journey, or at best delay it indefinitely. To say it is frustrating is an understatement.

Have you suffered a ‘flat tyre’ on your faith journey? You will not be alone if you have. Flats come in many guises, but all are frustrating, and have the ability to question the wisdom of your choice of destination, and certainly when you would expect to arrive. We take our cars for granted, and when that unexpected puncture happens, we often don’t even know how to change the tyre, or even find all the tools!

Since these emergencies happen unexpectedly, it is essential that we live and drive well prepared in advance. Anything else is folly, and only invites the disaster we want to avoid. After all, why have a spare wheel when you don’t know how to change it? I would suggest it is a good idea to look at the car handbook before you need to use it. It makes no sense to read the book when it’s too late. Do you see the similarity with our faith life? Don’t think about looking at the instruction book, the Bible, until we are in a serious illness, or worse still nearing death. You can’t phone for the AA to come and help you then, so be wise and find out how to live now. If you find out how to live, you will also find out how to die when that unexpected eternal flat tyre happens. That, my friend, makes the preparation all worthwhile!