“I’m sorry,” the specialist said softly, looking across his spotless desk. “The disease has spread too far.” He paused. “There’s nothing we can do.”
Leaving quietly, the middle-aged woman stood for a moment on the sidewalk, trying to absorb the impact of the physician’s words. “There’s nothing we can do.” Nothing? Nothing at all? Panic-stricken in her heart, she stared into a shop window, blind to all but her fears.
The moment passed, leaving her weak. Regaining her composure, she searched her handbag for the keys to her car. Finding them, she sought refuge in the old sedan she had parked nearby.
Two minutes later and three blocks away, the car jerked, spluttered a few times, and rolled to a standstill. Out of petrol? Couldn’t be, she thought, remembering that she had filled the tank the previous day.
The roadside service mechanic was very helpful. In no time at all he had traced the problem: a blockage in the fuel line.
“Only takes a bit of dirt,” he explained. “The newer cars are different.”
Back on the road again, the woman reflected on what the mechanic had said.
“Only takes a bit of dirt…” When she had left the surgery, doubt and fear had taken control of her mind. Yet, she reminded herself, she was a Christian, strong in faith, usually. What had happened to that faith?
“Only takes a bit of dirt…” Now she understood. Doubt is “dirt” in the fuel line of a person’s faith. Before she had filled the tank the previous day, the level had shown close to zero. (Running on empty had become a habit.) Dirt in the tank had been sucked up into the fuel line. Only a bit of dirt, but enough to stop the car.
Driving homeward, she realised that it didn’t matter how much faith a person had – doubt could block it in a critical moment. She resolved to stop running on empty.
The disease? God knew all about it. Once home, she would fill herself with the words of Jesus. He was, after all, the Great Physician.
Her blockage problem solved, the woman drove confidently homeward. She had quite a distance to go, but she knew she would make it.
Jesus said: “Have faith from God. For assuredly I say to you that whosoever shall say unto this mountain: ‘Be removed, and be thrown into the sea’ and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he says.” (Mark 11:23)