The Steering Wheel Is In Your Hands
By Ralph W. Gehr
My father and his brothers grew up on a farm joining a farm owned by a man whose last name was Ludwig. This man farmed for a living but also butchered and sold meat as a supplement. Because of this he acquired the name, “The Butcher.” In the community where I lived whenever anyone said “The Butcher,” everyone knew who they meant.
One day my uncle was helping Mr. Ludwig move some things around in the barn area which involved moving the steam tractor. As my uncle was driving the tractor near the barn, machinery, and other things, the throttle rod broke and he could not change speed nor stop the tractor. Steam tractors have fire in them to make steam and if this fire gets outside its place, it can easily burn the barn down. My father told of many barns that were burnt down by steam tractors.
So my uncle was heading for a barn on the steam tractor with fire and no way o stop it. All he had to do anything with was the steering wheel while the engine went touk-a-touk-a-touk in crowded conditions. If you have ever examined a steam tractor you saw the clumsy apparatus that steers them. A long ways from the power steering we enjoy today. By experienced operations my uncle Harry was able to get the tractor into an open field and then crawled over the hot engine and shut off the steam with very little damage.
As I think of this story it reminds me of how we are traveling through this life at a fixed pace. “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22). We can’t stop the days nor slow them down nor speed them up. But we can steer our lives, thoughts and desires. The Scriptures says, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him [God], and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:6). We can steer our lives toward God and worthwhile activities, or toward the pleasures of this world. The choice is ours. We can steer toward the House of God or to worldly entertainment. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8). Let me say again, the steering wheel is in our hands. If you want pleasure, strong drink, or harlots, they are available. If you want God, He is available. Jesus said, “Come unto ME, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29). Try it.
Dear Friend, if you do not know Jesus as your Saviour, please pray now from your heart and ask Jesus to forgive you and save your soul. “Dear Jesus, please forgive me of all my sins, and come into my heart to live as my Saviour. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.”
Pilgrim Tract Society, Inc .,