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By Rev Don Rivers
We are not guaranteed tomorrow, and all our work, plans and visions won’t make it’s coming any more certain. Life is precious and our hopes and dreams won’t secure our future. The greatest gift we can give is our time. We need to make every effort to spend time with those who the Lord has placed in our heart. Invest in the lives of others. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We all make choices as to where we race, who we race with and what events we will participate in. We look at the entry list to see how many cars, who is coming, who am I competing against. There are many factors that go into that decision. I wonder if one of them is; who isn’t going to be there.
As fans we decide also; who is putting the race on, what track is it at, who is going to be there. Oh, and what’s the weather going to be like? As fans we are fickle, past experiences dictate whether we will even consider attending a certain event.
I was surprised as the fans rolled into Lancaster National Speedway with sprinkles still falling from the sky. The mindset of the fans of this area was that the rain would stop and they would run the race and they were going to be there. I’m not sure what the official attendance figure was but the grandstand was full beyond my expectation considering the conditions. The fans in Western NY made their presence known.
There are times when someone’s absence echoes above the noise and is noticed. We wonder where someone is. We wonder what the reasons are for them missing the event. Sometimes that choice is made for us by situations out of our control. We don’t always know the whole story as to why someone is absent.
James 4:13-14 NLT “Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.”
Chaplain Todd Heft shares these thoughts about going to the races with the absence of someone special.
“Going to races is more than being with the drivers strapping into the cars. So much goes into a race with so many people doing different jobs. They all matter to God, so as a chaplain they matter to me. Oftentimes we get to celebrate the highs of racing. The good results, the wins, the family milestones of weddings, children and life achievements. We’re also there in the not so good. The accidents, a difficult medical diagnosis, and the loss of a loved one. Chaplains are knit deeply into the fabric of the community that they serve.
Today the loss of this young photographer, Evan Canfield, echoes sadness across the entire east coast. Evan lost his grandfather earlier this year and I was able to spend a few quiet moments (a rare thing at a racetrack) with him in March just days after that loss. It was a chance to just connect and reflect. Today my prayers are with his parents. Evan’s dad lost a father and son in less than 5 months.
My family understands what I do in a way I cannot describe. It is their love and support that allows me to share the love of God with so many people.
I often play the same song heading on the way to a racetrack. It’s called Untraveled Road. Not many want to travel the road in chaplaincy. That’s ok, we are all different parts of the body.
The lyrics have this that resonate with me:
“When we scream
Our lips don’t make a sound
We march with feet on solid ground
We walk, where no one wants to go
On this untraveled road”
I will continue to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus both with words and actions. Marching on the solid rock of his birth, death and resurrection. May the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding be with the entire Canfield family in the coming hours, days, weeks, months and years.”
Thank you Todd. We are not guaranteed tomorrow and all our work, plans and visions won’t make it’s coming any more certain. Don’t lose sight of the present, the here and now.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”
Life comes with the certainty of an end, we don’t welcome it; we would prefer not to have to deal with it. Loss is real, grief is a struggle and absence leaves the heart broken. But, not everything is lost. We don’t lose their inspiration, we don’t lose the memories, we don’t lose their place in our past, the part they filled in our life.
We do lose their presence. We will miss that. Moving forward will always be with a void, there will always be someone missing.
Psalms 34:17-18 NLT “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
Where do we find comfort? We find it in God’s presence. He enables each of us to have the potential to provide comfort, grace and mercy. When we do we show the love that God has for us.
Life is precious and all our plans, hopes and dreams won’t make tomorrow any more certain. The greatest gift we can give is our time. There will always be another achievement to pursue but there may not be time. When we use the time we have been given to make a difference in the lives of others it is not wasted. We are never at a loss when building relationships is our goal. Even in our absence our presence will be felt.
Romans 12:16-18 NLT “Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”
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.
