When my newly purchased PT Cruiser was having a luggage rack installed at the Dealership, I needed to drive a rental car. Their Rental Agency gave me a key and instructions to refill the gas tank to full, before returning it the next day. I was confident, maybe even a little smug, that I would not need to refill the tank. I only needed to drive home and return the car the next morning. I was sure I would not need to put gas in the rental car.
Stuff Happens
Life is full of surprises and unexpected life changing events. The dealership took longer than planned and one day became two days. I needed to drive the on-loan car to work. It was a chilly fall morning. I was awake by 5:30am. I got ready and needed to defog the windows of the car I had parked in the driveway. I popped into the house while the windows were defogging and the heater was running full blast, to do some last minute things and lock up.
Somewhere out there in the World is someone that ignored the need for people to multi-task. They designed self-locking doors for an idling car. I was given one key. The car had to idle for almost two hours before the Rental Agency would be open to get another key. I knew it would be faster to borrow my daughter’s car and drive to pick up the second key. I had to wake up my son-in-law to borrow their car. Their gas tank was very low. I thought I could wait to get gas near the Rental Car Agency.
Count The Blessings
Just as I was in sight of the gas station, my daughter’s car started to sputter and die. I lost power steering and power braking capabilities. I tried to whip the dead car into the Gas Station, only to land the front tires on the curve and the rear of the car was sticking out into the turning lane. I was grateful that I did not have to walk very far. The Gas Station Attendant told me that I was very lucky because, someone had left behind a container that I could use. Things could have been worst. I was grateful for the mercy I did see.
More Locks and Keys
My daughter’s car had a locked Gas Cap. I had to wake up my son-in-law again to find the hidden leaver that would allow me to open the Gas Cap. I did not care very much as gas spilled all over the road as I tried to control the gas can’s wobbly yellow spout. I managed to get enough gas in the car to pull the car into the Gas Station and fill the gas tank to FULL.
Do Not Assume
The way things were going I called to talk to a live human being to make sure they had a key for the locked Rental Car. I arrived and was quickly given a key. I was told other people had similar problems with keys getting locked into this car model. Three hours after the self-locking car took over my life, I was able to get into the car. I took it to the closest Gas Station and filled the gas tank to FULL.
Trust the Gut and Pray About Everything
God always teaches me something through these unexpected life events. I had no idea I would need a loaner for the loaner. I also had to unexpectedly fill up a third gas tank when I picked up my newly purchased PT Cruiser. Within two days I had to fill up three gas tanks.
When I had been given only one key for the rental, I felt uncomfortable. Yet, I was not careful with a car I didn’t know. I didn’t trust my gut and did not pray about it. I should have gone to the first Gas Station with my daughter’s car. Again, I had ignored my gut feeling and did not pray about it. Until that day, I had never ran out of gas or locked a key in the car.
God reminded me that humans do not really know what’s going to happen in the next five minutes, let alone the next day. God gives us only one key into Heaven, Jesus the Christ. It was a horrible sick feeling looking into the car I was locked out of. It was scary to run out of gas and loose the power steering and brakes. I couldn’t hardly believe these bad things were happening to me. If only I had trusted my gut and had learned to pray about everything.
One Master Key
Holy Father of Love, sanctify us in Your Holiness through Jesus the Christ. We do not know what tomorrow will hold for us. We do know You will be with us through every event. You have given us one key to Heaven, in Jesus the Christ. You are our Fuel, our Master Key and we can count on never being locked out of Heaven or being powerless because, Jesus the Christ is our Savior and joint-heir. We are dearly loved by You. Help us learn to pray about everything. Please use even our hard times and petty annoyances for Your Glory. Be glorified as You comfort us and use everything to draw us closer to You. Amen.