It starts when you're a kid and hurt yourself. After twenty minutes of tears and looking for a mark your mother can't find, she tells you, "we'll put a band aid on it and you'll be fine." And you are, not questioning the healing power of the adhesive strip. Until it comes time to remove it, along with all the hair on your arm, causing more pain than the original boo-boo. And whether you know it or not, your whole life will be dictated by fixing things with a band aid.
When your first car is measured not in miles per gallon, but miles per quart of oil burned, we used to use the remedies found in the back of car magazines. My favorite, a man in a service station uniform, complete with hat and bow tie-sure made him look official, telling us by adding this special oil treatment, our worn out engine would run like new, and stop burning oil. We called him Mr. SBO-Stop Burning Oil. And the Granatelli's made a fortune of STP, and still do. And for awhile the blue clouds of smoke would subside, until the car stopped in the middle of nowhere, with friends you weren't allowed to hang out with, and well, you were already late, I think you get it. The band aid failed.
I see many on feeding tubes in hospitals when they are unable to eat food. This provides nourishment, but if asked, and able to answer, the number one thing they wish to eat is a Double Double from In-and -Out. Information per the nutrition therapy nurse. Why don't they use that in their advertising? Isn't that what a hamburger's all about? This tube feeding is like an internal band aid, and works, but nothing like a burger and fries to help mentally-not sure about the physical ramifications, but refer to the initial band aid your mom put on you, and hey-it works!
And sadly, many of us live our life on the life support of band aids. Hide the wound, I'll worry about the scar later. Struggling with the things of God? I know, I'll read through the Bible in a year. That will make me closer to God. But what after you miss a day or two, and fall behind? It only adds more pressure-nope, that ain't it. I'll go to church more often, that's it. Until something else more important, like a Padre game, or a ride comes along, at least God will forgive me. I know, I'll get up early and pray more. Start the day after tomorrow, I have a big night tonight. And finally, I'll only listen to KWVE in the car. Except tomorrow night, they have a Led Zeppelin marathon on. And so the list of band aid remedies goes on, and so does our problem.
The Bible tells us the Trinity is Father, Son, aka Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. NOT Father, Son, and more Bible time-not more prayer time, not more church , and not more KWVE. These things aren't wrong-but they are not the Trinity. For the third person of the Trinity is a person-the Holy Spirit. Who urged you to trust Jesus when unsaved, which comforts you when troubled, who leads you when you need guidance, and who in all things points you to Jesus, who always points you to His Father-Almighty God! God doesn't put a band aid on our problems to cover up the symptoms, He deals with the cause. And when you let the Spirit guide you, He will heal the problem. I tend to cut myself a lot, and put band aids on the cuts-"it's ok honey, yes, that's the bone, but it'll heal-just get me a band aid." My personal favorite-extra large and extra absorbent. And then when it gets red and infected, I go to the doctor. History if nothing else should remind me, go to doctor first, but when a band is available, well, the doc can wait.
God is patient-aren't you glad? But why go through a band aid temporary fix when we can call on the Spirit to guide us? To comfort us? To bring us to salvation? Didn't you know that you may hide the wound, but it will still leave a scar?
Trust God today. Walk in the spirit. He will encourage you to read your Bible, and get more out of it. You will want to listen to KWVE, and fellowship with others like you at church. And give you a comfort and a peace that only Jesus can offer, way beyond trying to understand why your car is still burning oil, or your finger is infected.
Which just may free you up to do more of the things you like to do. Like ride motorcycles. Or have that Double Double. Yes, the Holy Spirit likes to ride and eat too. So trust Him today.
Just think, all the blessings you missed because your mom put a band aid on it, instead of praying over it? When all you had to do was ask.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com