Clogged Up - Martin Wiles

But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command. 1 Samuel 13:14 NLT

The time had come. I’d either have to repair her or park her.

My old car with nearly 300,000 miles was puttering along. She idled fine, but when I came to a stop, I had to juice the gas to keep her running. Since I had no funds for repair, I kept driving her—until the day when she wouldn’t breathe any longer.

I carted her to the mechanic who diagnosed her as having a clogged fuel filter and a defective oxygen sensor. When either are defective, the engine runs rough—or not at all. Mine had approached the not at all stage.  

After replacing the defective parts, she ran like a charm. Now, I can approach stop signs and traffic lights without placing my foot on the accelerator while holding the brake with the other and at the same time worrying I’m going to accidentally plunge into the car ahead of me.

King Saul’s engine was clogged also—but the clog had nothing to do with fuel. He had a faulty part called disobedience. As king, he had no right to make sacrifices, but when the prophet Samuel tested his patience, he knowingly made sacrifices anyway. This act of disobedience disqualified him as king. God would search for someone with a heart that beat to the same tune as His.

I’ve endured those times when my life puttered along like my car engine. Starts and stops and hiccups and hang-ups. Like King Saul, sometimes my disobedience was the issue clogging my fuel line. At other times, God was testing my faith and refining my resolve to follow Him. In either case, not doing anything about the clog eventually led me to a standstill.

Sin always disrupts the flow of God’s blessings and initiates God’s discipline. Love will allow Him to do no less. Bad choices, misplaced priorities, and busyness can also interrupt the flow. Things that aren’t sinful, but things that get in the way of smooth idling.

Whatever clogs my life is eliminated by confession and repentance. Sounds easy enough, but it isn’t always. Hanging on to what I want is easier than letting go for what God wants. But abundance and peace only come when I do.

Ask God to show you what is clogging up your life and robbing you of His blessings.

Tweetable: What's clogging your relationship with God?

Prayer: Father, we ask You to remove whatever is clogging our engines and hindering us from running as You desire us to. 

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