Title:- ‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’
1 Thessalonians 2:17,18 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you — even I, Paul, time and again — but Satan hindered us.
‘What he really wanted was to spend Thanksgiving with his family. What he got was three days with the turkey.’ So goes the tag line of this comedy made in 1987 starring John Candy, an obnoxious slob of a travelling ‘shower ring’ salesman and Steve Martin, a pristine and uptight advertising executive. This story uses the horrors of travel to reveal how circumstances can link two lonely souls. One so uptight that he can't see his loneliness through the narrow controlling slits of his soul and one so hurt and in denial, that it pains him to even acknowledge it.
The two main characters in this film are more alike than they think and providentially are thrust together so they might learn to see more deeply and in so doing, be released, be healed, helped and be eventually, bonded together . I do believe that this is what God is about. You know? Using all things, including planes trains and (in my life especially) automobiles, to accomplish His purpose. For I hate being helped by other people and God both knows it and arranges my circumstances so I have to be helped by other people! Why do I have this preclusion to the help of others? Well, it’s because I feel so vulnerable you see and also so in debt to the helper, and so annoyed at being helpless yet again. However, God always seems to override and dismiss these feelings of mine, not really even taking them into account even! “How does He do this?” You may ask and I would reply: “He does this by allowing me to purchase cars that publicly drop their pants at the most inconvenient of times.” No how’s that for blaming God!
The Greek word for ‘hindered’ in our text today is from the Greek word ‘enkopto’, literally meaning, ‘to cut into’ and was used of ‘impeding’ persons by ‘breaking up the road’ and therefore ‘detaining’ a person unnecessarily. So if the winds are not blowing and the ships are not going; or if the car won't start and it's breaking your heart; or if the planes a pain and the your flight's down the drain and concerning the train, well it's all just the same…then maybe dear friend, just maybe, Satan is breaking up the road before you? He’s cutting into your schedule and your plans. This time it’s not God that’s restricting you, retracting you, oh no, it’s the enemy that is trying to restrain you!
We are in a battle and we do face felt resistance time and time again, yet no matter friend! Yes that's right! When this happens, no matter I say and don't worry! For even if your alternator is demon possessed or your mechanic is mathematically challenged, God is still in control and working out His supreme purposes of love. Love for you and love for others. Satan may seem to be pulling your travelling plans apart, but God is pulling them all together for good! Believe that.
So if the road you are travelling this morning is 'broke up' before you and you can see Satan with a hard hat on and a pick and shovel in his hand, sneering at you as you bang your fists on the wheel, be not dismayed. Look at God as He nonchalantly steps out onto your highway and puts up His very own sign saying, “Walk carefully, for in truth, it is your Sovereign Father who is actually about His business here!”
Listen: - And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
Pray: - Unstoppable, Almighty ever loving Father. Even if there’s only one wheel on my wagon, You O Lord will get me where You want me to be. So calm me, so teach me, and so help me today, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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