As you come to Him… (1 Peter 2:4).

A while back my husband’s car wouldn’t start. The most common issues that would keep a car from starting weren’t the cause, so he took it to a mechanic who ran all sorts of diagnostic tests. It was determined that there was a manufacturing defect, and the new part was, of course, back-ordered. Yay, supply chain issues!

When my husband couldn’t diagnose the problem himself, he didn’t keep trying to fix the unknown problem on his own. He didn’t put out an all-call for anyone who could give him an opinion on the matter, nor did he ignore the problem and hope it would go away on its own. He took his car straight to the auto shop, where the mechanic diagnosed the problem. The mechanic prescribed the solution, and when the part comes in, the mechanic will fix it.

What do you do when life hands you a metaphorical car that won’t start? 

There’s only one Mechanic, and creating a Counter Culture for the Common Good begins with coming to Him. In America we carry a lot of pride for our “can do” attitudes, and I’ll be the first to admit to this! When I encounter a roadblock my first response is usually, “How can I fix this?” Second is, “What can Google/YouTube tell me about this,” and third is to ask someone else for help. Maybe…if I’ve exhausted all other resources! I think it’s safe to say that most of us respond similarly, especially we independent residents of Chatham county.

We bring our vehicles to auto mechanics for regular maintenance as well as when there are major issues happening under the hood. Are you daily turning to Him, whether all is well in your world or there’s a problem “under the hood?” “Mechanic” isn’t the most accurate way to describe Jesus. He, of course, has the power to right all the wrongs we encounter, but rather He transforms us day by day as we come to Him. It’s truly counter cultural to do this daily rather than attempting to fix problems on our own…or turning to any and everyone around us for advice…or ignoring our problems and hoping they’ll work themselves out. It goes against our independent and individualist culture to live life this way, but what’s best for the common good is for all to be coming to Him first, always, and all the time.

Think about what your first reaction to a new problem would be. Ask Him to help you remember to go to Him first, always, and all the time!