In the past few weeks, I faced two emergencies. My wife saw a water spot on the ceiling of our master bathroom – a clear sign of a leak. Our reaction was one of, Oh no, not another leak. From past experience, we knew it was horribly difficult to find the source of any leakage. This gave us a sinking feeling. We lifted the ceiling hatch and had a look. Thankfully, it was the water heater tank that was leaking water from its rusty bottom. We called my brother-in-law, Kenneth, a professional handyman, for help. Straightaway, he confirmed the cause and what had to be done. A new water heater tank was needed. I found that the rusty Rheem water tank had been installed fifteen years ago, which was amazing in itself. It may not be as good as the sandals of the Israelites in the wilderness that did not wear out for forty years, but it’s more than good enough for modern manufactured products. We sourced a good Rheem replacement, and my brother-in-law was able to install it. He was kind and refused to charge me.
A week later, another emergency arose. After preaching in Pentecostal Community Church, I was heading home when I noticed an unusual engine sound. Later in the evening, on the way to dinner, I noticed that the engine heat indicator shot up. I decided to have a look after dinner, since the radiator would have cooled down and I would be able to check whether more water was needed. Instead, it was a serious problem. A radiator pipe had broken. My COE car is sixteen years old, so this is wear and tear again. I called Zach for advice. I took some videos and pictures and sent them to him. He identified the problem, helped me buy a spare part, and fixed it. While fixing it, he uncovered a bigger problem – the radiator needed to be changed. Again, it was caused by wear and tear. He helped me buy a radiator and some hoses, and we went to a mechanic he recommended, and the problem was resolved the next day. He accompanied me all the way.
On both occasions, I needed someone to come alongside to figure out a way to resolve a problem. Their expert advice was vital. Even more important, their presence and help gave me the support and strength to resolve the issues.
It is the same with the spiritual journey. Sometimes, we get stuck, or we are at a crossroads and confused by different road signs, and the anxiety and fear paralyse us. Or we come to a place where we feel far from God, indifferent to spiritual things, and spiritually bored. These are matters that need attention. Is there an expert to seek who will come alongside us on our journey? The Bible’s answer: Holy Spirit. In addition, we need someone who has the experience and skills to co-discern with us, to understand how God is present in the midst of an emergency or a problem, and to accompany us on a journey of self-discovery and insight. We need someone trained in spiritual direction to accompany us.