"It's the Obvious That Will Get You"

obvious:  adj.  Easily discovered, seen, or understood; self-explanatory.

There are those times when a writer risks personal embarrassment, mortification, and humiliation in order to not only make a point but to reinforce it.  This is one of those times.  I feel it is worth the risk.

I got a new power washer Sunday, my third within the past year.  The first two had been returned to the place of purchase and replaced.  Upon filling the gas tank of the first one, gas poured out onto the driveway; the second had a strange odor when it first fired up, made an odd sound and died.  My hopes were this one was going to function correctly.  Why, you ask, do I continue replacing them with the same type?  As long as the store where it was bought refunds my money with no questions asked and gives me a new one, why not?  And as my mother would say, “The third time is a charm.” 

There is a reason behind my telling you this is my third one, and it is that I am not a “newbie,” but a veteran at assembling this machine.  As is typical, they come in a large box, and the consumer puts it together.  Having assembled two of them already, I was filled with confidence.  Boldness exuded as I briefly perused the instruction sheet, assured I knew what I was doing. There’s not much to it—fill with oil and gas; attach handle; connect a hose on one end to the machine, on the other end to the spray wand; attach the spray wand to the gun.  Hook a garden hose up to the machine, turn the water on, and one can be power washing within minutes.

This is where the humiliating part unfolds.  The only step left was to attach the spray wand to the spray gun, but It would not fit.  Matching the two was impossibe.  Checking the opposite end, I saw what I thought was a blue spray nozzle so was certain I had the correct end.  After multiple efforts with no success, I finally decided I would make another attempt when I was more alert, after a good night’s sleep, and having fed my brain.  The task had become daunting and was worthy of my best efforts. It is a verifiable fact one cannot put a square peg into a round hole, and it appeared I had been trying to do that. 

This morning was that time.  After checking the picture on the instructions I resumed my effort.  Nope.  Nada.  It wasn’t going to fit even when I was rested.  Options began floating through my mind.  I could return it to the place of purchase to exchange it for machine #4; I could take it to my power equipment people and see if Scott could make it work—Scott can make anything work; I could have my son-in-law stop by—I knew he could fix it.

THEN—my eyes caught what I had thought to be the blue spray nozzle.  It wasn’t a nozzle at all, but a cap, a screw-on cap, a new feature from the previous two.  Voila!!  Screw cap off, attach spray wand to spray gun.  I had been trying to connect the wrong end all along.

Now here is my point.  How obvious was that?  It wasn’t a secret; it didn’t take any special technique or brain skills; it wasn’t made deliberately difficult and was right there the entire time.  I just missed seeing it until I actually looked and gave it some thought.  

It is no different when it comes to God.  

God has placed within mankind the fact that He is. 

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made.  So they are without excuse.”  Romans 1: 19, 20.  NRSV

Some will deny that truth; some say they will accept that truth if/when certain conditions or terms are met; some will casually treat that truth as though He is part of a giant fairy tale when, in fact, this is His world, and we are His creation.

In my life, He is an obvious.  I see Him in my daily encounters and experiences; I see Him in times of frustration and times of joy and pleasure; I see Him in my inadequacies and my fears, accomplishments and courage as He walks with me through life 

My message is “Look.  Open your eyes and see.”  Look at a flower, a one-of-a-kind snowflake, the perfection of a baby, the cycle of the seasons, the stars in the sky.  Look in the mirror at your own capability to function, to think, to reason, to laugh, to love, to live life.  “Look.  Open your eyes and see.”

It’s the obvious that will get you every time, whether it’s a blue screw-on cap or something that is as plain as the nose on your face, and that would be God.

Mankind will either acknowledge Him in the present or face-to-face later.  Sooner is definitely better than later.  And while it can be said, "I did not believe," it can never be said, "You did not show me.  I did not see.  I did not know."