My eyes were glued to the TV commercial. A shiny green tractor drove up and automatically hooked up to a front scoop. Then it drove over and hooked up to a lawn mower. Over and over it hooked up to different gadgets to do everything you needed to do in the yard. I don’t know about you, but I love gadgets. Especially anything that makes my life easier. At the end, this lady climbed off the tractor and the announcer says, “All that’s left to do is to get in the seat.”

Wow! It seems so simple. The announcer didn’t mention the thousands of dollars the tractor costs, not to mention each one of those gadgets. They fail to show the sweat pouring off the driver as they work in the hot summer sun, or the bugs, or the times the implements get jammed and you have to get off and clean them out. What about the training that needs to happen to be able to use that beautiful gleaming tractor safely? Just get in the seat…

Sometimes we feel like as Believers, we’ve been given that tractor with everything we need to live our lives for God. It should be so simple, just get in the seat the drive.

Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by His divine power. 2 Peter 1:3a (The Passion)

But we forget that we have to learn to use what has been given us and to apply our faith. 

For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing Him who has called us by name and invited us to come to Him through a glorious manifestation of His goodness. 2 Peter 1:3b (The Passion)

Everything has been provided for us – salvation, health, provision, sound mind, wisdom, etc. – but unless we know how to use the implements they are useless. We learn through the rich experience of knowing the Inventor of the equipment.  And we have to do the work to have a relationship with Him and to get to know His goodness. We have to put in the effort to change our mindsets and become Christlike.

When Moses asked God to teach him His ways in Exodus 33, the Lord said, “Here’s My Presence.” The Lord was inviting Moses into relationship. When Moses asked for God to show him His glory, the Lord said, “Here’s My goodness.” The Lord was saying, “All the power you need is in My goodness, My character.” 

Yes, everything has been given to us because God has given us His all. But we have to do the work to get to know Him. Then all that’s left to do is to take the seat He has given us.