The Little Engine That. . . . . . .Couldn't

We have all heard that children's story about the little engine that could.  The diminutive train engine that was carrying a load too big for it to pull up a hill.  He would try again and again telling himself "I think I can, I think I can".  Until eventually, he made it.

In a perfect world, little engines that couldn't still can.  Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the real world.

In our world, we find ourselves burdened with challenges that arise due to our sinful natures, and try as we might to climb up that hill, to get our hearts to the top of the mountain so that we can get out from underneath the burden--well, we just can't.  We don't have what it takes to get our little "engines" to the top.  Sure, some can seem to get farther up by talent, or by sheer will power, but God tells us clearly that the weight we carry is just too much for us.

In a very real sense, we are all the little engines that. . . .couldn't. 

Some of you are really hurting right now in your lives because you have tried so hard to climb that mountain.  Some of you have just realized that you couldn't make it and have just freshly fallen back down into the valley.  Others have just started up that excruciating climb once again for various reasons: some do it out of a sense of responsibility that drives them to perform; others don't want people to think poorly of them so they push themselves to exhaustion; and then some are just confused by the Enemy who convinces them they can so he can then prove to them once and for all they can't.  Oh, and then He likes to tell them that they are failures as they fall back

all
      the
             way
                      down.

We are a stubborn lot us humans.  Resiliency is maybe our middle name.  We try and try, and when we fail we try and try to hide our failures. 

Well, I'm here to say that God wants us to know that we can't make it on our own.  We need to depend on a strength bigger than us.  We need a 6000 horespower, supercharged engine to get us to the top, and the only one that can do that is named Jesus.

We don't often think of Jesus in terms of a screaming engine redlining at 10000 rpm, pulling weights like a tractor pull but never even slowing down!  That's the kind of power we need.  And thankfully, that's the kind of power He provides.

Just listen to this description of Jesus in Rev. 19:11-16,
"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.  With justice he judges and makes war.  His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.  He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.  He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.  The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.  Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.  He will rule them with an iron scepter.  He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.  On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

There is no greater power in existence than Jesus Christ the Son of God.  And He takes His children by the hand and guides them up the hill that their little engines just couldn't make on their own.

Today, whatever hill you are facing, ask Jesus to be your engine that could--you won't regret the ride!

BT