Having grown up on a farm, my grandpa, and dad took me along to many tractor and truck pulls. I remember going to county fairs, competitions, and machinery shows all over parts of Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky. Early on we only attended the stock (no post-manufacture modifications to the engine) pulls. These were largely the old timers' antique tractor pulls. I loved hearing those little, but mighty two-cylinder engines popping along as the load increased. One experience I will never forget.....my first super-modified tractor pull!
We were sitting way up high in the nose-bleed section of the bleachers, ear plugs in place, when I saw the first tractor come out and idle over to the Dynomometer to hook up for the coveted FULL PULL (going the whole distance without breaking down under the increasing load). Even with the ear plugs, I could hear a bad running engine; sloppy and uneven in its rhythm. When asked about what was wrong with that tractor, my dad grinned ear to ear. 'Wrong?!!! *laughter* There's nothing wrong with that tractor's engine. It has a governor. It is fine-tuned and controlled, not sloppy!' He explained to me that these super-modified tractors pull greater weight, and run on jet fuel! He said that a stock engine can't handle that kind of work or energy source, so they designed electronic control systems for these heavily modified engines. Finally, he instructed me that a governor could instantaneously adjust the amount of fuel being sent to the engine; only a little is sent when the tractor is idling along, not pulling any load, and all kinds of fuel is sent to the engine when it is digging in and pulling hard. Most importantly, the governor works to cut the amount of fuel being sent at the exact moment the load is lifted so the engine doesn't over-rev, overheat and burst into flames. It also can gauge the amount of fuel to send during a resting idle so the high performance engine will not become flooded and stall out.
According to Briggs and Stratton, the electronic governor's purposes are to: "...power computer hardware, as the generator's output frequency must be held within narrow limits to avoid malfunction. Small engines, used to power lawn mowers, portable generators, and lawn and garden tractors, are equipped with a governor to limit fuel to the engine to a maximum safe speed when unloaded and to maintain a relatively constant speed despite changes in loading. In the case of generator applications, the engine speed must be closely controlled so the output frequency of the generator will remain reasonably constant."
It occurred to me that there are many times I feel like my life is stalling out. But then, there are days when it feels like it is bursting into flames too! It doesn't feel like I can keep up with such drastic swings in my energy level. One moment I am all revved up serving in every way, and the next there is no fuel and I am running on fumes. How can this be an efficient way to live for Christ? Maybe it has less to do with the load of the daily burden I have to bear and more to do with my speed and directional control. Maybe it isn't about trying harder, but trusting deeper.
In the Bible, Matthew chapter 11, verses 28 through 30 illustrate how we have access to a spiritual Governor. He tells us '28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”' A yoke, much like a governor, takes control of the fuel and resources required to bear a load at an even pace. Alone, we bear the full weight. To share the yoke with another, spreads out the load between those harnessed together. Christ wants us to persevere and endure this walk with Him, Hebrews 12:1-2, . He doesn't want us overwhelmed to the point of bursting into flames, or so drained that we stall out. His yoke is light because He has no burden! He wants us to take on His yoke, His governor in order to help us with our load and burdens.
Yoked to Him, our pace evens out. Our speed adjusts at a moment's notice. He takes control because He is our fuel, our daily bread Deuteronomy 8:3. He adjusts the resources we need at the right moment to provide for the load increases in our daily lives. He is also there to provide relief from pulling too hard and exerting too much effort, preventing a burnout. When running at a controlled, even speed, our walk becomes more efficient. When we are more efficient, we are able to accomplish more for His purposes, bringing Him greater glory than any we could have ever hoped to work out on our own. As this new year begins to increase your load and the burden begins to weigh you down, remember that it isn't about how hard you try to pull on your own, but how He pulls with you, for you, beside you, within you. Don't try harder, trust deeper. Everyone wants to go the distance. We all want that FULL PULL, Matthew 25:23, 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
-Wendy
According to Briggs and Stratton, the electronic governor's purposes are to: "...power computer hardware, as the generator's output frequency must be held within narrow limits to avoid malfunction. Small engines, used to power lawn mowers, portable generators, and lawn and garden tractors, are equipped with a governor to limit fuel to the engine to a maximum safe speed when unloaded and to maintain a relatively constant speed despite changes in loading. In the case of generator applications, the engine speed must be closely controlled so the output frequency of the generator will remain reasonably constant."
It occurred to me that there are many times I feel like my life is stalling out. But then, there are days when it feels like it is bursting into flames too! It doesn't feel like I can keep up with such drastic swings in my energy level. One moment I am all revved up serving in every way, and the next there is no fuel and I am running on fumes. How can this be an efficient way to live for Christ? Maybe it has less to do with the load of the daily burden I have to bear and more to do with my speed and directional control. Maybe it isn't about trying harder, but trusting deeper.
In the Bible, Matthew chapter 11, verses 28 through 30 illustrate how we have access to a spiritual Governor. He tells us '28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”' A yoke, much like a governor, takes control of the fuel and resources required to bear a load at an even pace. Alone, we bear the full weight. To share the yoke with another, spreads out the load between those harnessed together. Christ wants us to persevere and endure this walk with Him, Hebrews 12:1-2, . He doesn't want us overwhelmed to the point of bursting into flames, or so drained that we stall out. His yoke is light because He has no burden! He wants us to take on His yoke, His governor in order to help us with our load and burdens.
Yoked to Him, our pace evens out. Our speed adjusts at a moment's notice. He takes control because He is our fuel, our daily bread Deuteronomy 8:3. He adjusts the resources we need at the right moment to provide for the load increases in our daily lives. He is also there to provide relief from pulling too hard and exerting too much effort, preventing a burnout. When running at a controlled, even speed, our walk becomes more efficient. When we are more efficient, we are able to accomplish more for His purposes, bringing Him greater glory than any we could have ever hoped to work out on our own. As this new year begins to increase your load and the burden begins to weigh you down, remember that it isn't about how hard you try to pull on your own, but how He pulls with you, for you, beside you, within you. Don't try harder, trust deeper. Everyone wants to go the distance. We all want that FULL PULL, Matthew 25:23, 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
-Wendy
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