Studebaker's can teach us....

“Build yourselves up in your most holy faith.” Jude 20

Growing up there was an old Studebaker in the forest behind our house. It hadn’t moved in two decades. The tires had sunk into the dirt, windows smashed; and the hood stuck straight up, as though the doctor were asking it ‘open real wide.’ My friends and I hatched a plan one day to get her back on the road. We set to work, but it wasn’t long before our naïve zeal, turned to boredom. That old relic needed something more than a screwdriver, hacksaw and greasy grins.

In the start up of a year, the business of reconnecting, planning, and engaging in a myriad of relationships can take its toll. If it’s been a while since you paused long and hard to listen, or simply were ‘wowed’ by something God revealed to you, then in some ways you may have parked your pursuit of God in the deep woods. The right tools can make a difference. Jude 20 gives us something to “build yourselves up,” or if you prefer—to re-fire the cylinders.

“Pray in the Holy Spirit”—True prayer originates in the heart of God, and is borne by the Spirit into our spirit. He, the Holy Spirit “helps” our weakness when we don’t know how to pray. To pray reminds us that a fresh surrender to God’s will is a daily need for those on the front lines.

“Keep in the love of God”—All other loves require something from us to keep our end of the bargain. God’s love eliminates the need to work to keep, compare to feel good, or perform to please. Prayer reminds us that perfect love sits between our desire for Him, and His willingness to lavish upon us more than we could ever hope for.

“Wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ”—Hope springs eternal in the day to day, for those willing to sit at Jesus feet. Prayer reminds us that when everything else pales, we still hold on, for to pray with hope raises our chin to see eyes of mercy.

Make prayer a habit, until it becomes a passion. It’s more important than any discipline, because it’s the best tool to carry into the woods to get our ‘Studebaker’ back on the road.