When Your Check Engine Light Comes On

You show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

In the Gospel of John, Chapter 6, he gives the account of Jesus feeding the 5,000 by the Sea of Galilee, and they were just counting the men. Add wives and children and a crowd of 15,000 could be a low estimate. It was getting late, and the crowd needed to eat.

Jesus took 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish and miraculously multiplied them to the point everyone was fed “as much as they wanted” with 12 baskets-full of leftovers (Jn 6:11, 13). He wanted to show He is able to easily meet every need. The people said, “This is the Prophet who is come into the world,” (Deuteronomy 18:15), and wanted to make Him king (Jn 6:14-15).

The next day the crowd followed Jesus and the disciples to the town of Capernaum. He knew they hadn’t come seeking the Son of God for spiritual renewal but for a handout because they had had their bellies filled the previous day. They were after food that perishes. They found happiness and not joy. Those are two very different things.

Happiness is based on things and circumstances; it can come and go. Happiness is leaving the mechanics in a repaired automobile. Happiness evaporates a few miles down the road when the Check Engine light comes on again. Happiness comes and goes because it is dependent on the moment. Happiness ends when hunger begins.

Joy on the other hand is internal well-being or even the anticipation of well-being. Its dependence is not on the external state of affairs, but the internal knowledge and trust that God dwells with us.

Jesus gently rebuked those that wanted to vote economics first and getting their hearts right last. He said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” They rejected Him anyway, voting with their carnal appetites, for momentary happiness, despising Him (Jn 6:42) and the joy only He could give them.

In this world we will have to face a few Check Engine lights. Jesus said so (John 16:33). Well, in so many words. I’ve discovered joy in my own life when I didn’t understand God’s ways-yet held to His worth-believing and trusting He remained good even when circumstances were not.

A full belly or a determined and seasoned heart? Fleeting or fulfilled? Peter’s answer to Jesus best sums it up: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know [emphasis added] that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Jn 6:68-69).

Jesus can bring happiness to be sure, but when that Check Engine light stays on and that smile turns to a frown, happiness fades but joy in Christ remains constant. Hopefully Jesus just doesn’t make you happy. Hopefully He increases and strengthens your joy. Only He has the words of eternal life. Who else can give that kind of rest? To whom else can you go when that light comes on?

Ken