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DRIVING2 3'?m1f Monologue: God's sovereignty, man's free will

I just came back from visiting the place where I grew up. It's
been a long time. It brought back some fond memories, especially
when I drove down the old country rode where I first drove a
car.

Actually, I wasn't really driving. I was only eight years old at
the time. My father sat me in his lap and let me hold the
steering wheel. I haven't thought about that experience in
years. But reliving the experience taught me a lot about God's
sovereignty.

Even sitting on my father's lap, I could barely see over the
steering wheel. I had a very limited view of the road. I never
even thought to use the rear-view mirror. And I couldn't reach
the pedals. My father controlled the gas pedal and the brakes. 
But I actually thought I was in control of the car!

As with most new drivers, my first reaction was to over-steer
the car. It's a good thing that the road was deserted, because I
was all over the road. Fortunately, when I let the car drift too
close to the shoulder, I could feel my father nudge the wheel to
steer the car to the center of the road.

I say FORTUNATELY now, but I wasn't as fond of his help at the
time. As a matter of fact, I resented his meddling in my
driving.

(imitates)

"Daddy!" I complained. "Let ME drive!"

(imitates)

"Okay, Pumpkin." He said. "Have it your own way. Let me know if
you need me." And he lifted his hands off the wheel.

(demonstrates)

"It's all yours!" he said.

I was excited that I was in control of this huge car all by
myself. As you might imagine, it was only seconds before my
over-steering brought the car onto the shoulder, but my father
let me go. Then I could feel the rough ride as the car ran into
the grass beside the shoulder.

(shouts)

"Daddy! We're going to crash!"

But Daddy didn't say anything. Daddy didn't DO ANYTHING!

"Daddy! Help me! Daddy!"

I didn't see him take the wheel, but I could feel the wheel turn
back onto the road.

"There you go," He said. "Let me know if you need me."

Well, one heart attack was enough for me.

"That's okay," I said. "You can drive now."

Well, that was the end of my first driving lesson, but that was
not the end of my life-long quest to take control of things for
myself.

And as I look back on that incident on the lonely old country
road, I wonder now if that was just a driving lesson or my first
major lesson on life. Now, after several other "driving" 
lessons, I have this image of God saying...

(grabs imaginary wheel, then lifts hands dramatically)

"Okay, have it your way. Call me when you need me."

©2008 Bob Snook. Conditions for use:
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http://www.bobsnook.org  email: bob@bobsnook.org

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