Am I the only one who takes a moment to pray for someone who is sitting on the side of the road having car trouble? These last few days with all the ice and freezing rain, I've seen more than my share of stranded motorists.
Maybe I pray because I have been unfortunate enough to know what it feels like to be stranded, stressed and looking at a very large repair bill. Or, maybe I have just learned by hard experience that I am not the only one who could use a prayer.
The fact is that we all end up on the side of the road at some point.
I remember once when I was driving, there was a woman in front of me in a car. She didn’t seem to be having any problems until all of the sudden, flames began shooting out from under her car.
When I say flames, I mean a big, giant ball of fire! She didn’t pull over until she saw the smoke coming from under the hood. I slowed down as well, but when I saw that the flames had gone out, I decided not to stop. I figured that she had a cell phone like most people, and that she could call someone to help.
Then, a few days later on the way to work I saw the car again. This time it was a little farther down from where she had stopped and the front was completely burned up. She must have thought that the fire was out and tried to drive again, only to have it reignite and burn up.
I still feel terrible about it. I should have stopped to help her that day, but I didn't. But, it gave me a simple warning for you today as Christians.
Don’t assume that the fire is out! So many times we have been put in the position to help others, whether through council, prayer, or in other ways. We know that there is a need for help, and while we do what we can and are called to do, once it appears to us that the “fire has been put out,” we promptly move on and never look back to see if that “fire has reignited.”
That’s a dangerous thing because when a fire has been reignited, it means that it has been smoldering and building up, and the fire is twice as hot! Just because we can no longer see the flames does not mean that the fire is gone!
The Apostle Paul tells us in Hebrews 13:1, to “Let brotherly love continue.” When you have a love in your heart for others, there is a desire to help, encourage, support and guide. But sadly, many people fall short and leave that “brotherly love” at a one-time thing.
Paul said that we should let that love “continue.” Keep connected, keep concerned, keep in prayer, keep giving and keep loving, because you never know when the “fires of trouble and trials” for someone that needs YOU have reignited…
