We paid more for the old truck than we should have. It died the first time out of the yard. We should have returned it; but then we would have set ourselves at odds with the old man who sold it, and we were too vulnerable to chance that. The old yellow pickup reminds me of our youth, poverty, three and a half years spent in the Nevada desert with a controlling, spiritually abusive leader, and a precious miracle.
After weeks of repairs and many more dollars, we finally felt like it was safe to drive out of town. We got about 70 miles from home and it died. We had two toddlers and another baby on the way.
Wes and I worked for hours pushing the truck up a down ramp on the interstate (there weren’t many people around). He thought that if he could get it rolling then it would start. It didn’t. We pushed it up again. It rolled down, but it still didn’t start. It was getting dark and cold; no one stopped to help us. This was long before cell phones.
We sat there shivering, with our two little ones between us, wondering what to do. Then Wes said, “Let’s ask our Father to start the truck.” We prayed our request. Then Wes turned the key once and it started.
I not only thank God for starting the truck, I also thank Him for the vivid memory. I see each detail as if it were yesterday. How do our brains do that?
Psalm 77:11 says, “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.”
God wired our brains for memory. I don’t think I’ve understood what a gift it has been until my old gears started getting a bit rusty and the file drawers get stuck.
About four years ago, a praying friend came to me with a message from the Lord. She said that in the coming time I would see many doctors, but through it all God wanted me to remember my Ebenezer stones. Samuel, the prophet, set up a stone and called it Ebenezer saying, “Thus far has the LORD helped us” (First Samuel 7:12).
I have seen at least nine doctors since that time, and none of them really knows what is causing my difficulty. Thankfully, I am getting better, but through it all, memories of God’s goodness and faithfulness have been a huge comfort to me.
I have to admit that other memories haunt me with sadness and regret. I had time to review many of those also while I was sick but Romans 8:28 encouraged me: For we know that ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (KJV).
If we wouldn’t have had that old yellow pickup, we wouldn’t have had the miracle. If we wouldn’t have made bad decisions in other things, we would not understand the depth of God’s grace or value the gift of forgiveness.
Revised from devotional in Walking With the Creator Along the Narrow Road by Sue Carlisle, published by Indian Life Books and available by calling Indian Life.
