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“You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?” (Matt 16:8 NIV)
It was early on Wednesday, July 28th, 2004, when we hitched up our trailer and left our “home” of the past three days in L’Anse-aux-Meadows, at the northern-most tip of Newfoundland’s northern peninsula. Our destination was Grand Falls-Windsor, found right in the center of the province. We didn’t know exactly what awaited us there, but we did know what we were leaving behind: beautiful shorelines, whales, icebergs, migrating birds, history, beautiful people with simple lives, and, I might add, some of the more desolate countryside we had ever visited.
As we pulled out of the campground, the gas gauge of our van was a hair above a quarter. In the past week and a half of towing, we had learned that this was enough to carry us approximately 60 kilometres, so when we passed a single gas pump in front of a convenience store in Griquet St. Lunaire (the biggest village in our immediate surroundings), we pulled in to fill up.
It wasn’t until we had stopped at the pump that we noticed the price: 99.9 cents a litter! (equivalent to 3.50 U.S. per gallon) Wow! But then, what would you expect in such a desolate area? And besides, as my wife quickly pointed out, it was “full serve” only. The next decision was promptly made: We would go to the next gas station!
Little did we know that there would be no gas. About 30 kilometers out of Griquet St. Lunaire, my wife, who was driving, remembered seeing a sign over the next nearest gas pump that read: 130 kilometres to the next gas station! She knew very well that we would have only a hair of a chance of making it that far with so little gas WITHOUT the trailer; but with it, there was NO WAY! We were doomed to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere, and since we didn’t have any cell service in this remote area, there would be no hope of help. But she didn’t say anything. It was too late to turn back anyway, and what good would it do to worry me about it? Besides, God was in control! So instead, she prayed. She began thanking Jesus for providing us with enough gas to reach the next gas station.
About 70 kilometres farther down the road, I noticed that the gas gauge was halfway between a quarter and empty: “Uhhhh . . . We don’t have any gas!” I said. It was pretty obvious there weren’t any gas stations around, and naturally, I started to panic: “How far to the next gas station??? I don’t think we are going to make it!”
“About 30 kilometres up ahead,” my wife responded calmly. “But don’t worry. We should have run out of gas about 40 kilometres ago.”
“Uhhhh . . . Run out of gas?” I could feel my anxiety mounting.
“Yes,” she answered. Then told me the above story, and added that from the time she had prayed to that very moment, over 60 kilometres of road, the gas gauge hadn’t moved. I was amazed, and I joined in praising God. The gas gauge dropped steadily from that point on, and 30 kilometres later, when we pulled into the first gas bar in 130 kilometres, it dipped way down below empty. But we had made it. Thanks to Jesus!
Interestingly, this gas station was also “full serve”, and the price was $1.00.9 a litre; but for some reason, we no longer minded paying that much for our gas. In our shoes, would you have cared?
We are constantly faced with potential disasters, and no matter what the problem, there are always two possible choices: 1) Worry ourselves into feeling miserable; or 2) Trust in Jesus and be happy. Jesus’ disciples were faced with the same choices. When Jesus declared to them to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, the immediately began to worry because they had forgotten to bring bread: “They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” (Matt 16:7 NIV)
Poor choice! (Would we have made a better one?) Immediately, Jesus rebuked them: “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread?” (Matt 16:8-11 NIV)
How easily we let circumstances dictate the mood we will be in and how fast we forget the miraculous provisions Jesus has already made for us. Didn’t he feed masses of people with just five loaves one time and seven loaves another time? With such a caring provider, why worry? Circumstances only will bog us down, while Jesus will always lift us up. What is your preference?
Rob Chaffart
Written in July 2004