Like many, I never thought of naming my car. Cars were just… cars. Functional objects. That was until Beepy, my Jeep Compass, entered my life. It might sound whimsical, but Beepy became more than just a vehicle; she became a rolling testament to something far greater: the unwavering promises of God. And in a way, considering car insurance as a teaching tool for God’s promises isn’t as strange as it sounds. Both are about trust, preparation, and believing in protection even before you see the need.
From childhood, a Jeep was my dream car. While the pink singing waitress aspirations of my four-year-old self faded, the Jeep desire persisted. Life took its turns, and my first car wasn’t a Jeep but a practical, family-hand-me-down Ford Escape. I was grateful, of course. It was a necessity for commuting to college and work. I spent a summer diligently searching Craigslist for a used Jeep – envisioning myself cruising in my dream ride. Tan interior, white exterior, low mileage, budget-friendly price – the perfect combination seemed just out of reach. Each day of searching yielded nothing suitable. Either the price was too high, or the quality was too low. My Jeep dream felt distant.
Then, practicality stepped in. My mom upgraded her car, and I became the thankful owner of her Ford Escape. While a part of me mourned the Jeep dream, the responsible adult in me appreciated the gift. I washed it, fixed the console, and embraced my first car ownership with gratitude, even if it wasn’t my dream Jeep.
Sometimes, when our desires aren’t met on our timeline, we begin to question if they ever will be. The dream fades, overshadowed by daily life. We might doubt God’s concern for our longings, and the dream quietly withers.
But often, it’s a matter of divine timing. Just as car insurance is there for you when unexpected accidents happen, God’s timing often works in ways we don’t anticipate, offering protection and provision at just the right moment.
I drove my trusty Escape for five and a half years. It served me well, until the day it dramatically decided to stop… stopping. On the freeway. My brakes failed. It was a terrifying moment, averted only by what I can only describe as divine intervention. I managed to safely swerve to the shoulder. The subsequent inspection revealed a host of issues, signaling that a new car was no longer a want, but a necessity.
This was unplanned. A new car was on the horizon, but later, after student loans were paid off and savings were higher. Suddenly needing a car meant taking on a car payment sooner than expected. Yet, God’s timing is never off. Coincidentally, earlier that January, I had received a promotion. Then, just days before my brake failure, I learned the financial details of that promotion – a raise that perfectly covered an unexpected car payment, and then some. It was like God had a car insurance policy for my life, ensuring provision even before the breakdown.
Unexpectedly, my Jeep dream was resurrected. I began researching and budgeting, settling on a Jeep Compass. I created a list of “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves,” leaning heavily towards practicality to stay within budget. A tan interior, a long-held aesthetic preference, seemed unlikely in the newer models with their dark interiors. Then, a dealership advertised significant rebates on 2017 models. They had one white Jeep Compass left. With a tan vinyl interior.
My dad and I visited the dealership, and hours later, I drove away in a car that fulfilled not just my “must-haves” but also six out of seven “nice-to-haves,” all at a fantastic price. The missing “nice-to-have” was seat warmers, but with a heater, it wasn’t a deal-breaker.
Driving away, I was overjoyed. I had a new car I loved, and cherished the memory of sharing the experience with my dad. Then, at a stoplight, exploring the car’s features, I found a button resembling a seat warmer symbol. I pressed it. Warmth slowly spread. I smiled, feeling a gentle wink from God. Six out of seven isn’t bad, but I can do even better. It was like finding out your car insurance policy covers an extra unexpected benefit you weren’t even aware of.
“Beepy” emerged naturally as her name – she was cute, “Jeepy,” and deserving of a name. She became a tangible symbol of God’s heart for our dreams. Just as car insurance provides tangible security, Beepy became a tangible reminder of God’s promise fulfillment.
When dreams linger unfulfilled, it’s easy to imagine that even if they materialize, they’ll be lesser than we envisioned. We picture a spouse, a baby, a career unfolding in a specific way, on a specific timeline. We become attached to our mental picture, struggling to see how any other path could be as good. We assume we know best, and when God’s plan differs, we might believe He’s withholding, offering second best.
But, as I’ve learned, our circumstances don’t define God. He is the Good Father, the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). His character is constant, regardless of our situation. If circumstances tempt us to doubt His goodness, there must be an unseen explanation. Like trusting in car insurance even when you haven’t had an accident, faith is trusting in God’s goodness even when you don’t see immediate answers.
Parting with the Escape was bittersweet. I realized that it wasn’t “second best” to a Jeep at all. It was the perfect gift for that season. No car payments, minimal insurance, less pressure due to its age – it provided freedom. Freedom to grow, to explore, to see a car as a tool, not an end in itself.
Six years prior, I thought a Jeep would bring happiness. But a car isn’t a destination. It’s a tool to get you where you need to go. Without a destination, a car is just an object. Similarly, dreams like marriage, family, or career, are good gifts, but not sources of fulfillment in themselves. Placing that burden on them leads to disappointment, distorting their true purpose.
I’m learning that God’s delays are often GRACE. He protects our future blessings by preventing us from burdening them with expectations they can’t bear. Just as we get car insurance to protect us from future financial burdens, God prepares us to properly steward His blessings.
Deuteronomy illustrates this with the Israelites’ 40-year wilderness journey. An 11-day trip became decades long because God needed to shape their hearts, to teach them He was their Provider, Guide, and Security. The Promised Land, a good gift, could have become their downfall if they hadn’t first learned dependence on Him in the barren wilderness. Pride in their own accomplishment would have led them astray.
I believe God cares about our desires because, when we abide in Him, those desires originate from Him. But more than our dreams, He desires our hearts. He invites us into intimacy, bestowing identity. He orients our hearts towards Him so that when promises are fulfilled, we appreciate them as complements to His intended path, not as sources of completeness.
I finally have my dream Jeep. I love it. It’s cute. I enjoy it for what it is – a tool. I can enjoy it precisely because I know it’s a means to an end, not the end itself. It helps me navigate the path God has already set, more effectively and enjoyably. I’m not sure I would have grasped this six years ago.
And consider God’s lavishness. He provided not just my needs, but fulfilled almost every “nice-to-have.” That’s His nature. We fear trusting Him with our dreams, but He plans a million and five times better than we could imagine.
God is always faithful to His promises, but He prepares US to possess them. Otherwise, a blessing can become a burden. Just as car insurance is useless if you don’t drive responsibly, God’s promises require a heart prepared to receive them with humility and gratitude.
I believe God is good and for you. The enemy tries to obscure this truth. God cares about your dreams, but more about you. He enables us to endure waiting, shaping us into people who receive gifts with humility. Otherwise, we might believe we earned them, that they satisfy us, forgetting God, our Provider and the Author of every good thing. Then, the gift becomes destructive, drawing us from His heart.
“Good gifts aren’t the goal, God is.”
The greatest tragedy would be missing the greatest gift: God Himself. Of all good gifts, God has already given us Himself.
P.S. If you’re waiting for marriage, I have a resource: an online devotional for singles! It’s encouragement for those hard days of waiting on God’s timing. If you’re wondering “when will it be my turn?” this devotional is for you.
