Cars In The Kitchen

At eight o’clock this morning I was jostled into alertness as I sleepily sat at my computer by the stirring roar of a 1991 Mustang LX.  An hour later I was reminded of the need to get my wife up for the day by the throaty sound of a 1993 SVT Cobra… and no, I wasn’t sitting in the parking lot of a Mustang of America convention.  I was in the warmth and comfort of my kitchen listening to the hourly “chime” from the new wall clock we recently purchased!

A few days ago Piper and I were looking through the Amazon website just before dinner.  I had gotten the idea of getting a Mustang poster and came across an entire selection of unique Mustang memorabilia.  A couple of pages into the selection I discovered a nifty black with a white racing striped wall clock that had pictures of various Mustangs in place of the time numerals.  I hemmed and hawed for a while and at the last moment decided to add it to my cart that was already occupied by a poster with pics of the last fifty years of Mustang models.

It wasn’t until after I completed the transaction and tapped the submit button that I completely read the details of the clock and found out that it also emits the sound of the individual cars pictured on the face of the clock on the hour!  The timepiece also has a light sensor that turns off the sound when the room is dark.

After I ordered the items I turned to my wife sitting next to me and wondered if she would have approved of the purchase or not.  Then I couldn’t hold back a round of laughter as I gently slapped her knee and caught that sassy look in her eyes while stating, “Of course you would.  You always liked and pursued with me anything that caught our attention over the years having to do with hot cars!”

Last night as we were sitting on the couch together after dinner, I spoke a particular scripture over her and then paused and added, “and like you used to say to me all the time, ‘that is my confession and I believe every word of it!’ ”  At that moment it struck me that there are countless things that are common place to me in my daily life that I learned from her over the last 45 years!

That thought came back to me this morning as I read from Proverbs 3:6 which teaches us, “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth.” (God’s Word ©)  A quick investigation into the Greek translation of the Hebrew word expressed as “acknowledge” points out that it is “a derivative of ‘ginosko’ ” meaning to have an intimate knowledge of. (Strong’s and Thayer’s)  That puts a whole deeper spin on that verse than I used think about it.  I believe that the writer was conveying a lifelong process of getting to intimately know the ways of God and not just have a casual acknowledgement of Him and His Word.

It’s that “knowing that you know” conviction and confidence of His guidance in every area of our lives.  I realized last night that over the many years of our relationship, Piper’s and my thoughts and ways have blended together in many respects.  And just as that is to be expected in an ever-growing and close relationship between husband and wife, it should also be akin to our ever-growing, intimate relationship with Papa God.

A standard comment that my in-laws have made to me over the last four years when I have informed them of a decision that I have made concerning my wife and I is: “Does Piper know about this?” or “what does Piper think about his?”  And every time I simply smile and say “of course” because I intimately know her and what her response would be... and would never knowingly do anything that would be adverse to her.  In many ways the two of us have become one.

I firmly believe that this is exactly what Solomon was implying when he penned this verse a few thousand years ago.  Therefore it is important for us to develop this kind of oneness with the will and ways of God for us. It is making the time on a regular basis to sit at His feet and converse with Him.  It is about being comfortable enough in His presence that you can discuss anything with Him and trust Him enough to quickly and obediently follow His directions without question or doubt.

So, just like I sound and act like my wife in certain situations and now have a clock hanging on our kitchen wall that sounds like the car in our garage, God would be honored if we went around in our daily lives sounding a lot like Him!  Give it a try… better yet; make it part of a lifestyle that honors Him.  Have a great weekend.  It’s supposed to be warmer and wet around here!  Keep in tune and in harmony to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What or Whom am I expecting to SOUND like today?”