Daily Devotional for November 4, 2021

Rerun of Daily Devotional November 4, 2016

Monday morning, I took Shannon’s car to the dealership for a repair.  Knowing it would be all day, I asked if I could use a loaner car.

The service advisor asked how far I was driving.  I thought this was a strange question, but I told him I would be driving to the church and then visiting people in the hospital.  He said, “I’ve got just the car.”

A few minutes later, the service advisor pulled up to the front door in a toaster.

I asked what it was, and he told me it was an all-electric car, and it had a range of 75 miles.  This did not make me comfortable, but beggars can’t be choosers.

So, I drove to the church in the ugliest car in the history of cars.

That evening, when it was time to pick up Shannon’s car, I called ahead and was told her car would not be ready until Tuesday.  The service advisor told me to drive the loaner home for the night.  When I explained that I lived in Moody and that the car would not have enough charge the next day to get me back to Temple, he said, “Oh, that’s easy.  Just plug the car in when you get home tonight.”

That night when I got home, I pulled the car into the driveway, got out my briefcase and walked into the house.  I completely forgot about plugging in a car because who plugs in their car when they get home for the day?

The next morning at 4:15, I realized I had not plugged the car, so I quickly plugged it in hoping I could get enough charge to get to the church.  I did.

Once I got to the church, I saw that I did not have enough charge to get to the dealership, so I parked the toaster by the front door to the office building, plugged it in and expected to endure a lot of ridicule from the staff and members.  I was right.

To make a long story short, I spent Tuesday and Wednesday driving around in an electric toaster that I was continually having to plug in to get from one spot to the next.  I even had to cancel an appointment with the pastor of the Lorena UMC because the car didn’t have enough charge to drive there and back. He thought that was the funniest thing he had ever heard.

The bottom line is that life is full of surprises.  Some of these surprises are wonderful.  Sometimes they are not.  Sometimes you may even find yourself having to drive an electric car.  But whether you are surprised in a good or bad way does not alter the fact that the God of the Universe is always good.

What we confess is that even though we may be in the midst of a bad experience, we know that God is good, and God is so powerful he will bring good out of all the bad circumstances of our lives.

This is what Paul meant when he wrote these words to the Christians in Rome:  “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”  (Romans 8:28)

So, if you find yourself stuck driving a toaster or experiencing something even worse, please remember you are loved more than you can possibly imagine, and God will bring good out of it.

Prayer:  Dear Gracious Heavenly God, give me faith where I cannot see, strength when I am weak, and the determination to follow your path no matter what the circumstance I face.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

So, remember, always trust God; and if the service advisor tries to get you to drive a toaster, just say no.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins