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The Rest of the Story

The Rest of the Story was a Monday-through-Friday radio program originally hosted by Paul Harvey. Beginning as a part of his newscasts during the Second World War and then premiering as its own series on the ABC Radio Networks on May 10, 1976, The Rest of the Story consisted of stories presented as little-known or forgotten facts on a variety of subjects with some key element of the story (usually the name of some well-known person) held back until the end. The broadcasts always concluded with a variation on the tag line, “And now you know…the rest of the story.”

Last week, I told you the story about running out of gas and my desire to not get into the predicament again.  I wrote that devotion/story last Thursday.  On Friday, Jenn and I were going into North Bay to go out with Rachel.  Once a month she gets what is known as a flex day.  They work extra hours every day, so that once a month they bank enough time to have an extra day off, a long weekend of sorts.  Rachel wanted to go to the Great Northern Flea market in Sturgeon Falls.  I needed to get gas for the vehicle, and she wanted an iced coffee from Tim Hortons.  We decided the new Tim’s and Gas Station (Wolves Den) was the perfect place to accomplish both, until it wasn’t.  On our way, we noticed that there was an accident on the side of the road.  The police had arrived on the scene and there was a pickup truck on its side in the ditch.  It looked like it had hit a hydro pole.  When we arrived at the Wolves Den, we were told that the accident had knocked the power out. So we continued towards Sturgeon Falls. The gas light had already come on and some passengers (no names mentioned) in our vehicle were starting to get a little worried.

We arrived in Sturgeon Falls only to discover that the power failure affected the whole town.  I was chatting to the attendant at one of the gas stations and he said that Ontario Hydro was predicting that the power wouldn’t be restored until approximately 5pm (It was 1 pm now.)  Our gas gage was now telling us that we had 25 km until we were empty.  We didn’t have enough gas to drive back to North Bay.  We didn’t have enough gas to wait it out until the power was restored.  We googled how far it was to drive to the next town: Verner.  It was 15 km.  We called the Co-op gas station and found out that they were open.  So, we continued down the highway.  At 20 km, the gas gage stopped predicting how many kilometres we could still travel.  It was like it was telling us, “if you were dumb enough to go this far without filling up, you are on your own.”

The good news is that we made it.  The line up was very long, because of the power failure, and I thought we were going to run out of gas, while we waited in line. But thank God, we made it.

I thought it strange that the day after I wrote about not running out of gas.  I have a situation where I almost run out of gas.  I also had to do something very counter-intuitive.  I had to go further and use more of my reserve to get to the end goal. 

The rest of the story for me, is that there are moments when I have reached the end of myself.  I have absolutely nothing left to give.  It is at that point God gives me what I need. I was reminded of the poem/hymn written by Annie Flint called He Giveth More Grace.

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labours increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

And that’s the rest of the story.

John

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