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By Rev Don Rivers
One of the most challenging things about life is keeping it in balance. It is very easy to get things leaning one way or the other. Do you remember the game we used to play in the 70-80’s called Tip It? How do we get our lives balanced? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Have you ever driven a car with a tire out of balance? You know it, don’t you? The thing is bouncing down the road. The steering wheel is vibrating in your hand. It feels like the whole car is going to fall apart at the seams. You search for the speed that evens out the vibration and try to maintain it. It doesn’t fix the problem, but you can live with it, even if it is a little out of balance.
One of the interesting things about having a tire out of balance is we forget about it when we are not driving. We know it while we are going down the road. We make a mental note to get it looked at, but when it stops we forget. Only to be reminded the next time we go down the road.
Balance is important in a racecar also. A racecar is set up to balance the different conditions on the track. The goal is to keep the car stable and drivable while at the same time going fast. Sometimes you have to settle for a setup that isn’t perfect but you can deal with it. The driver decides what they can handle, loose here, tight there.
How do we get to that balanced racecar? We practice, take measurements, make changes, and try them out. We then repeat the steps again until the desired balance is achieved. Sometimes it is hard to attain so we build some adjustability into the car so that it can be adjusted during the race to keep it as balanced as possible.
Balance is also important in the life we live. Many of us live with our lives out of balance. We try things that lead us to places that are not beneficial for us. The circumstances and results of our actions create difficulties for us. We then have choices to make. We can make adjustments to make things right or we can choose to live in the chaos that has come to be life as we know it.
Living in the chaos and the circumstances of poor choices is not what God intended for us. He didn’t create us to live our lives out of balance. He provided a way for us to put things right, to balance the things of life; Jesus Christ.
Jesus had a question that he asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” He also prompts us to answer the same question. He wants us to seek him out and discover who he really is. We can achieve balance when we seek and answer and discover the grace and forgiveness God offers us through Jesus Christ.
Sometimes we recognize who Christ is but we think we’ll be alright without him. We can make it on our own. We’ll try it and see how we do. The only certainty is at some point in our life we will need Him. Will it be too late to find Him?
Ephesians 2:8-10, NLT; God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
During Easter we talked about Peter and his denial of knowing Christ. How he claimed he would defend Christ even if it meant his death. When confronted with the question of knowing Christ Peter denied it, three times. This threw his life out of balance. He soon found himself broken; shattered, knowing he had given up something he couldn’t live without, his relationship with Christ and not knowing how to get it back.
One might ask; why is it that this relationship is so critical to our lives?
Without a relationship with Jesus our lives are out of balance. No matter how much we try. No matter what we do. No matter how successful we are. No matter how much we own. Nothing matters if we sacrifice our relationship with Jesus to get it.
One of the falsehoods of life is thinking that we can do enough good things to enter in to eternity with God, Heaven. That is not true. A relationship with Jesus is the only way. Our life will never be right until we have that. When we recognize who Jesus is and what He did on the cross for us it is time for us to reconcile our life with Him.
John 14:6; NLT; 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
We need to go before him, acknowledge Him as God and request forgiveness for the sins in our life. Then and only then will we be in balance. That is the way God created us and that is the way God intended it to be. No other way will work.
Peter thought he had it all figured out. He did until someone asked him if he was really committed to follow Christ. That’s when he lost it. He broke down and learned life’s most critical lesson, it is not within us to save ourselves, it is Christ and Christ alone.
He learned that one night out fishing. After he denied Christ he went back to doing all he knew how to do, fish. Guess what happened? He didn’t catch any fish. Surprised? We shouldn’t be, when he agreed to follow Jesus, Jesus told him, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Peter didn’t get it yet, but he would. We read in John’s gospel, chapter 21, about the encounter.
Jesus met them on the shore, he prepared breakfast for them and he restored the balance to Peter’s life by forgiving his denial. Peter’s sins were paid for by the death and resurrection of Christ. He would no longer be a fisherman, but a fisher of men.
Let me ask; is our life balanced? Have we accepted the gift God offers through Christ? Are we justified by Christ’s death and resurrection? Jesus came so we could have life and have it abundantly, John 10:10, He is the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Him. John 14:6. If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10.
Put your life into balance; reconcile your life with the one payment that matters, the blood of Jesus Christ.
Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.
