Let the Master Drive
A few years ago, an uncle of mine had a race car and he used to invite me out to see him race on Friday nights. I loved it! It truly is an exciting sport, especially if you’ve got someone to “hoot-n-holler” for! My uncle raced well, too. I was always amazed at how he would start a 100 lap race way in the back of the pack, but little by little he’d work his way forward. Whenever someone would make a mistake, he would immediately seize the opportunity and pass them. Unfortunately for the people behind him, he NEVER made mistakes. As long as the car was running well, he would do his best to win. Since I was a “friend” of a racer, I was always invited into the pits to watch the race from there. One night, my uncle had some mechanical problems that put him several laps behind the leaders. You should have seen my face when he pulled into pit row, leaned out of the window and yelled, “Come on Jimmy! Wanna take ‘er out for a few laps?” I almost wet my pants! “You better believe it,” I screamed, and started putting on a fire suit. The adrenaline was rushing through my body so fast I could hardly think straight. Before I knew it I was heading down pit-row and making the turn out onto the field. I’ve had a few fast cars, but the power in this car startled me! Unfortunately, no more than two seconds after I made the last maneuver onto the field someone hit my car with a force I’ll never forget. Somehow I was still moving though, so I just hit the gas harder and pressed on to the first turn. Before I even knew what was happening, I saw the black flag coming out and everyone began stopping their cars on the track. “Why?” I wondered. “I was just getting into this.” Little did I know that half of the right side of my car was lying on the other side of the track! So much for my racing career! As the car died right there at center stage, I thought I would die. What’s worse, I had to be towed off the track, then face my uncle in disgrace! Funny, he never asked me to drive his car again!
In the hands of my uncle, that car was a site to behold. Over a period of years he’d learned everything there was to learn about racing. He knew the car, the tactics, and the mechanics of racing. Me? What I thought looked rather simple, turned out to be extremely difficult. Life can be a lot like that race car. Without the right driver, it can (and will) end in a humiliating disaster. Don’t let yourself get towed off the track of life! Let the master do the driving!
“I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23
In Christ,
PastorJimKilby @Kilbin8er