“The Desires of a Man’s Heart.”
 

I’m guessing that, if you are a car person, you can identify with me in this story.

There have been many vehicles that I’ve liked, many that I wanted, several I wish I’d never sold, and some that I even obsessed about. Some I’ve gone to great effort to acquire, including a few race cars. For several, I signed on that dotted line and obligated myself into the distant future so that I could have them. I’ve owned over 70 vehicles. It could be easily said that I’ve “desired” many cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

But only once did I have that kind of slow, building desire that lasted for years and occupied my thoughts for probably hundreds of hours. It wasn’t for some wild exotic, or classic hot rod, or vintage restoration. But it was for something just out of my grasp. I wanted a Suburban!

I first drove a basic, utility Suburban in 1979 for one of my jobs. I liked the carrying capacity that kept things secure and out of the weather. But in 1985 I was given a ride in a plush, fully optioned “Burb” and thought to myself, “This is cool!”

Well, you know how it is when either you buy a car—or you want a car—that you begin to see them on the road all the time? I would be cruising down the road and “sell myself” on what kind of a Suburban I should have. Now, listen to the brilliance of my thinking.

It needed to have the third seat so we could drive more kids for the church youth group. (Oh, that’s good rationalization!). And it needed to have four-wheel drive because we lived in snow country. (Well, sure, I had a 4x4 pickup, but it was a beater and my wife needed something better than that). And it should be a ¾ ton with the tow package, just in case I ever got another race car. (I was just thinking ahead, you understand). And it must be red with gray interior because, well, because I liked that color Suburban the best.

Over the years, as I devised this mental build sheet for my truck, I couldn’t decide on the back end. Which would I find less objectionable, the lift-over challenge of the tailgate or the rearview obstruction of the cargo doors? The tailgate could come in handy as a pit workbench for the fantasy race car, but the loading convenience of the cargo doors won out in the mental debate.

Of course this was useless exercise. I was working for a ministry, just scraping by, and could barely keep my ’69 Chevy and ’72 pickup on the road. Then one day, in May ’89, I saw “my Suburban” driving down the road. It was exactly the way I had desired it, down to that last detail.

It turns out I know the guy driving it. “Hey Tom, I sure like your new truck!” “Thanks, I love it!” “Let me know when you want to sell it, I want first shot at it.” And every few months our paths would cross and I would remind Tom to give me the first opportunity for the truck.

Three years later I learned the Tom didn’t own the truck but had leased it. He had gone for the lowest payments and was so far upside-down on the mileage that he couldn’t afford to turn it in. He renewed the lease for another thirty-six months.

April, 1995, Tom’s second lease was coming to a close and he was in a financial bind. Could I take the truck off his hands for the cost of the buy-out? Hmm, well, by selling one of our cars (okay, it was my wife’s car) and a 90-day, no interest loan from my in-laws we were able to pull it off. Today the Suburban is 20 years old, I did use it for two years to tow my dirt track car, and I still love it.

However, when I think of how much time over sixteen years, from 1979 until 1995, that my mind dwelt on Suburbans, I’m embarrassed by that level of desire for something so temporal. In I Corinthians 12:31a the Bible says, “But eagerly desire the greater gifts.”(NIV)

I know that I need the Lord to help me to desire more of Him and His gifts. I need that help to fill my mind with thoughts of God, because I do desire to spend forever in fellowship with Him. It’s not a suggestion, but a command from His Word…to eagerly desire the greater gifts. Difficult to do, isn’t it?

When I Corinthians 12:31 says, “But eagerly desire the greater gifts,” there is no greater gift than that of eternal life through Christ. It’s better than cars or trucks or Suburbans or any success or possession available to us on Earth.

Probably most of you are certain of that gift. But if you don’t have that confidence, you can change that. It is a simple step of faith. It is offering what you understand of yourself, to what you understand of God. It is recognizing that your imperfections are a barrier between you and God, but that Jesus Christ, through his sacrificial death and resurrection, has paid the cost for those imperfections. All you need to do is allow Him to pick up the check.

What we are speaking about is not a religion …it is a relationship with the eternal God. So, if you’re ready for that eternal relationship with God, you may pray something like this: “Dear God, I don’t understand it all, but I know that I need you in my life. Thank you Jesus, for going to the cross, so that I may have that relationship with God, and never lose it. I acknowledge that You are perfect, that I am not, and that I need you. Please be my savior and Lord. Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer to accept Christ, I recommend that you contact us for the free booklet, “Growing Faith.” It will help you to continue to grow in your relationship.
 

Paul Neighbors
Executive Director
Team RFC
PO Box 1208
Gilbert AZ 85299
480-225-1964