If you’ve just joined the party, we’ve been discussing hope and why it fails. That’s not quite true. We’ve actually branched out from hope to faith as well. Rather than bore you with this testimony within the current series, I’ve deviated a bit, hence the “3a” to this breaking news on hope and faith. Will they fail or not?

Allow me, if you will, to share what I’m going through as I write this. The great state of California requires that cars be emission tested every two years. My car is due to be registered this week and my check engine light came on a couple of weeks ago. My car is due for a smog test as well. A car will not pass a smog test with a check engine light on.

Now, this is a really small issue in the grand scheme of things. Actually, most of our issues are small in the grand scheme. However, if you’re on a tight budget then something like a car repair can be a big headache. Add to that, the increased price in registration and you might be squirming a little bit. I’m self-employed, and I don’t know when my next “pay check” will be coming. I have credit cards that I don’t and will not use. I rely upon the omniscience of God, and good stewardship, to financially prepare me for unexpected issues.

The car is running fine and has been running fine. I take care of this car. After all, it’s God’s car, not mine. However, that light came on, and it’s the same light that came on last year when I first moved to Sacramento. Apparently, it didn’t stay fixed.

I looked into the issue, since I know the code, and what it could possibly be. I prayed about trying to fix it myself. However, I was pointed back to where I took it the first time. Something I would not have done before I was a Christian. However, I don’t ask for help from God and then ignore Him.

I take the car in and get told that, since they worked on it last year, in April. April of 2018. That they are just going to check the code and see if the repair they did needed a “re-work.” Can you believe that? All I did was tell them that I had brought in to them last year for the same issue. The records are in their computer. No accusations, etc. Just the facts, ma’am.

I get a call a few hours later telling me that my car is ready to be picked up. It was a loose wire, and they aren’t going to charge me anything for their work.

I pick up the car and on the way home, the light pops up. Now, here I’ve been praising the Lord, contacted a few friends to tell them the good news, and this light is staring me in the face.

Like distant rain clouds approaching, I could feel, in a moment, the disappointment coming. A spiritual attack. However, at that same moment, I remembered this series, and what the Lord has said to me about hope and faith. I stood on what I believe. Therefore, I said, “Nope, the Lord’s got this covered! Praise God!” My spirit still flying high in faith, I pulled over and called the shop.

After taking the car in again today and waiting for about an hour, I was told it was fixed. A part from the previous work was replaced under warranty with no charge. Wow!

Now, I have to confess, this all sounds too good to be true, but here it is. The power of faith in action.

I drove home, parked the car for about thirty minutes and got up to run an errand. The check engine light came back on within the first mile. I know, right? Pulling over, I called the shop, again. I’ll be taking my car back in tomorrow, and they’re going test drive it and check sensors, etc. I expect the issue to be the issue that I thought it was in the first place.

Now, why is this not fixed? I’ve been giving thanks to God for fixing the issue before it was ever taken in. Why did it get fixed in a such, “God” fashion, twice, at no charge? I mean, really, a mechanic not charging for at least two hours of work? If you didn’t believe in God before, then you ought to now. I have a few ideas about, “why?”

  1. God is showing me my heart. He’s showing me that I’ve grown from the guy who got discouraged when hope “failed” to a guy who knows that his hope is in God, who never fails.
  2. I’m writing this article, and it’s poignant to what is happening in my life today.
  3. The other two issues that have been fixed were real issues with the car that hadn’t caused any problems, yet. Think about it. Did you think? I’ve had my car fixed now, twice, before anything bad happened, for free. God knew that there were these issues even when I didn’t.
  4. This testimony has gone from another “money” testimony, which is great, to a testimony about my faith growing, which is far greater.

I know you’ll all be waiting with baited breath for the results of this little test of faith. In the meantime, I’m going back to part four of this series. It’s interesting though, don’t you think, that we’re going to be discussing, among other things, God’s timing, and how it relates to hope and faith, and then this issue pops up?

Advertisement