Is Your Soul’s Check Engine Light On?

The other morning, as I headed to work, the check engine light came on in my truck a few blocks away from our house. I questioned what it meant. I wondered if it was wise to drive to work. I had a full day ahead of me in the midst of a long—and hot—week. Would I make it to work and home safely? What, if anything could I possibly do now—a little bit before 7 am?

I work through scenarios, as I tend to do. In my world, people see me as a problem solver and a decision maker. And this situation presented me with a problem to solve and a decision to make. After rolling down my window and slowly driving down a side street, my ears picked up a clicking noise coming from the engine. I turned my truck around and drove toward my mechanics. It turned out to be a wise move. My truck needed immediate attention. I could have chanced going to work right away and risked doing further damage.

My truck is powered by a 5.7 HEMI engine. HEMI’s are American V8 gasoline engines designed and built by Chrysler. They get their name because they feature overhead valve hemispherical combustion chambers.

The rocker arm on my truck had gone bad and was threatening to do further major damage to my engine.

You might be curious about what a rocker arm is and does. I was too.

The primary function of the rocker arm is to transfer the motion from the camshaft to the valves, allowing the intake and exhaust valves to open and close at the appropriate times.

When the camshaft rotates, the lobes on the camshaft push against the pushrod, which in turn pushes against the rocker arm. The rocker arm pivots on a shaft, and as it moves, it transfers the vertical motion from the camshaft to a horizontal motion at the valve end. This horizontal motion then opens and closes the valves via the valve stems.

A faulty rocker arm often causes the engine to experience decreased power and poor acceleration because it prevents the engine valves from opening and closing at the rigs time. It’s kind of like having an issue with a valve in your heart that prevents your heart from opening and closing properly and as a result restricting blood flow.

A faulty rocker arm can damage the camshaft and result in catastrophic engine failure. In other words, it’s the mechanical equivalent of cardiac arrest.

I had no early warnings. I take great care of my 2014 RAM truck. It gets regular maintenance and people comment how my truck still looks and smells new, like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

This whole adventure with my vehicle highlighted the spiritual struggles I face everyday. I’m sure you know what I mean because you probably grapple with similar challenges from time to time.

I’m reminded of the spiritual struggle the great prophet Elijah faced after a great victory against the prophets of the pagan god Baal on Mount Carmel, where God sent fire from heaven to consume Elijah’s offering. Rather than relishing the victory and celebrating, Elijah found himself in a state of fear and despair.

The story unfolds in 1 Kings 19. Elijah had hoped that this victory would lead to the repentance of the Israelites and the end of their worship of false gods, but instead, Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him.

Elijah’s check engine light had come on. He was in great despair.

Feeling overwhelmed and alone, Elijah fled into the wilderness and asked God to take his life. He felt that his efforts had been in vain and that he was the only faithful servant left. However, God did not abandon Elijah. Instead, He provided him with nourishment and instructed him to continue his journey.

In the wilderness, Elijah experienced a series of encounters with God, including a powerful wind, an earthquake, and a fire. But God was not in any of those dramatic displays. Finally, Elijah heard a gentle whisper, and it was in that still, small voice that God spoke to him and reassured him of His presence.

This spiritual struggle of Elijah portrays the human side of a great prophet. It demonstrates how even the most faithful individuals can experience doubt, fear, and discouragement. Yet, through Elijah’s story, we see God’s compassion and faithfulness in restoring and comforting His servant, ultimately guiding him to continue his prophetic ministry.

What about you? Is your spiritual check engine light on? Is it well with your soul or are you in turmoil?

Lean into God. Turn to His Word. Spend time in prayer. Find solitude and space to breathe in. God’s compassion and faithfulness is there to restore us and comfort us. And undoubtedly, God’s bill rendered for His services will be significantly less than the bill my mechanic is going to present me with later this week.

In your momentary trouble, you can seek the Lord. There is no extra charge. He is available to you as a believer in Jesus Christ, His son, who died on a cross on a hill called Calvary. He was buried and on the third day rose again so that anyone who believes in Him would not perish, but experience eternal life.

May your week ahead be showered with God’s abundant blessings.

Rainer Bantau

The Devotional Guy™

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The Devotional Guy™ Rainer Bantau © 2023