“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Hebrews 2:18
We have lived in this house for about 32 years…and for 32 years the pool pump has been faithfully, and automatically, circulating the water in the pool without problem! I returned home last week to a high pitched screaming sound similar to what I might hear in a horror movie! Upon investigation, I discovered the pool pump was NOT happy! I turned it off and frowned…knowing what I had to do!
Pool pumps can be expensive if hired out. But I’m chea…er….FRUGAL! So I knew I was going to have to learn how to rebuild that pump myself! OR spend LOTS of money for someone else to take care of it. Not knowing how to proceed, I fell back on one of my ‘Rules…’ “When you don’t know what to do…get more information!” After 2 trips to a local pump store, and several YouTube videos, I thought I was ready to dive in.
I’d like to tell you it all went well…but It didn’t! What I HEARD and SAW wasn’t WORKING and I couldn’t understand WHY! Finally I was narrowed down between 2 choices. Spend $$$ or call in someone who might know how! I called my neighbor Rick!
Rick is a DANGEROUS man! I mean he is as scary as ME when you put a tool in his hand. And FEARLESS! He watched the same video I did and finally asked me to hold the pump off the ground as he reached for a hammer! Before I could protest…he gave the pump a WHACK!!! And then several more! In seconds, the part that WOULD not come off…came off! We both smiled as he received my thanks. He left with…”call me anytime!!!”
I was confused, lost, and beaten by a mechanical pump that had worn me down. When I needed something other than what ‘I’ could supply…Rick came to my aid. Because Rick had rebuilt motors before, he could help ME. And this principle is not unlike what happens when I fall into temptation!
Jesus, God’s son, HAD to become human for MANY reasons! Today’s verse says He did so to personally EXPERIENCE what temptation was like…so He could help ME overcome the stuff when it paid a personal visit! The LAW, my HEART and the WORLD had TOLD me I was hopelessly un-helpable! But GOD sent His Son to ME…to PERSONALLY do the undo-able!! And before I knew it…He took a hammer to my REAL issues and replaced my broken parts!
I love having Rick for a neighbor because our experiences together help us help each other. I love having Jesus Christ for my SAVIOR. Because that is what HE DOES! He SAVES ME! AND from a LOT of things that I never even knew about. Like that excessive internal WHINING I so OFTEN hear coming from my tempted, messed up heart!!!
Is He YOUR friend too? When was the last time you called Him?