To Fix a Flat

This is a common sign to see on the roads of Sumatra. Bengkel/Tampal Ban means that there is a mechanic who can fix your vehicle and also fix flat tires. Even in the smallest villages there are shops like this, which is good news if you get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere. On average it costs between 50 cents and $1 to patch a tire. It usually costs a little more for the foreigner.

While it is relatively easy to patch a tire, or fix a problem with a broken-down car it is not so easy to patch up a life broken by sin. Yet many people on Sumatra are trying to patch things up with God through good works. They pray multiple times a day, although many Sumatrans sheepishly admit that they often forget. They fast during a special month, yet again many admit that they don’t always keep the fast. They go on a special religious trip, but many shrug their shoulders and say they are not financially able to make that trip. Still, they hope that their good works will outweigh their bad deeds.

The problem with sin is that it creates a debt far greater than we realize. Even a small offense is huge in the eyes of Holy God. The compounding problem is that our good works are not as good as we’d hoped. Even our best “good-deeds” are mixed with impure motives and imperfect execution.  God not only looks on the deed, but on the heart of each person doing the deed. The result is an astronomically large sin debt offset by a disappointingly small bank of good-deeds. It’s hopeless, unless someone steps in to pay the debt for us.

This, of course, is the Good News of the Gospel. Jesus lived the perfect life, with perfect motives, and execution. He paid the huge sin debt with the sacrifice of His own life-blood. It is not a fixer-upper. It is a complete exchange. He takes our debt upon Himself, and gives His credit to us. It’s an amazing deal; far better than a 50 cent patch-job! But the catch is people have to give up their old way of trying to merit heaven by good-works. This is a very difficult thing for many Sumatrans to do. In fact, it takes a miracle of grace for such a decision to be made.

Pray for Sumatrans to understand the hopelessness of paying their sin debt through good works.

Pray for bold and broad Gospel sharing to let Sumatrans know how to pay the sin debt through faith in a perfect substitutionary sacrifice.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of those who will hear the Gospel on Sumatra so that they may experience the miracle of saving faith.