Check The Oil
 

Check The Oil By David C. McCasland

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up. —Psalm 5:3

When I helped our daughters learn to drive, I included a little instruction on basic auto maintenance. We visited a local service station where they learned to check the oil every time they put fuel in the car. Today, years later, they often remind me of my six-word slogan, “Oil is cheap; engines are expensive.” Adding a quart of oil is nothing compared to replacing an engine.

Maintenance is also important in our spiritual lives. Taking time each day to read the Bible, pray, and listen to God is a key element in avoiding a breakdown. In Psalm 5, David wrote, “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You” (v.3). In the following verses he poured out his heart in praise, thanksgiving, and requests to God.

Many people find it essential to begin every day with the Lord. Before checking email, catching the news, or eating breakfast, they find some quiet moments alone to read a portion of God’s Word, praise Him for His greatness, thank Him for His love, and seek His guidance. Others spend time reading and praying at different times of the day.

It’s not magic—it’s maintenance, as we ask the Lord each day to fill our hearts with His presence on the road of life.
Give me a strong desire, O Lord, to look into Your
Word each day. Help me hide it in my heart so that
I might not stray from Your truth. Feed me and
teach me about Yourself and Your will for me.

The roots of stability come from being grounded in God’s Word and prayer.

Like the concept. Oil can go bad, stagnate, fermented, and filled with a lot of stuff that doesn't belong there, and clogs up the works. We need to flush out the system, and make room for new.

Lubricate our thought and our body, so they become more mobile, limber, and working in good condition, so that we can respond daily, instead of react, or stay stymied, because we just don't know, because our body isn't going with the flow.

We first need to check it to see how it is, are we operating on all cylinders, is some part of our being not working up to it's true potential.

For me it is Steps 10, 11, and 12, that give me vision and direction. How can we help others, if we are not able to help ourselves.