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By Rev Don Rivers
Racing for fun or for a living is stressful. The nature of the deal is that our life is on the edge. When you are at the track everything seems to run at 100 miles an hour. With the season coming to a close let’s take a breath, exhale. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
It is racing and it is supposed to move fast. But life can pass us by while we are focused on something as consuming as chasing a championship. The season is drawing to a close and champions are being crowned. Exhale.
The off season isn’t as long as it used to be. We will be racing indoors soon and with the racing shows to get us through, February will be here before you know it and we will be back at it. I encourage you to use this time to rest.
Resting with Jesus, sounds like a new name for a ministry? The racing world does not corner the market on stress and frustration. The world we live in has been described as a rat race.
We are entering the time of year when we can take that break and relax. We can look back and reflect on the season past. Taking some time to catch up on the things we left behind in our race to the front. Jesus gives up a place to rest.
Jesus came to save us. From what you ask, from us. We fill our lives with so much stuff that the stuff starts to win out. We develop a lifestyle that feeds off itself. We start finding ourselves needing to do this, this and this in order to maintain our lifestyle. It becomes overwhelming and we just keep on going trying to stay one-step ahead, for what? So we can live?
I am not sure many people would classify what they do as living. They may say surviving, but not living. We all have a vision of what living is and we are not there yet.
In his poem, The Station, Hastings talks about the vision, “when we get there”. Where? A new house, car, home, kids through school, promotion, win a race. We never get there. Once we accomplish one thing there is another to move on to. Our vision is never satisfied. He writes further to say it is not the destination, but the journey that we must focus on. That is why Jesus makes this offer in Matthew:
Matthew 11:28-29,nlt, Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.
Jesus provides for each one of us the security of the destination. If we accept Him we will be with him for eternity. Destination settled, now about the journey.
This past weekend was the World Series at Thompson. If you take a look you’ll see a bench under the big oak tree. The bench was presented to Rev. Pat at Thompson Speedway by the Ladies Auxiliary along with a plaque thanking him for twenty-five years of dedicated ministry to the Whelen Modified and Busch North Series (now the ARCA East). The bench is located under the great oak tree where our first chapel service was held in October of 1980. This month we celebrate 46 years in ministry!
The message is simple, come unto me and rest. Park it on the bench, refocus, spend some time with Jesus and seek His will for your life. When we ask, seek and knock, it will be provided for us within the will of God. RWJ takes on a new meaning, Rest with Jesus.
Matthew 7:7-12, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
When we take a step back from the challenges of our life and we realize that our Savior has already won that race, “It is finished.” We can adjust our focus and look around and participate in the journey. Along that road we need to reach out and help one another. We need to guide and direct people to the source of life. We need to, as Jesus said, be humble and gentle as we demonstrate how to live.
David writes in Psalm 23,
The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
In Jesus we have a place to rest. Rest in Him, walk with Him along those peaceful streams, and let Him renew your strength. Amen
We have been spread out this year. As we serve the racing community, we find ourselves in many different places. This year marks a milestone for RWJM on the dirt side of the ministry, our chaplains will cover all the WoO Sprint, Dirt Late Model and Big Block races. This was accomplished with 8 different chaplains and 25 Victory Chapels. People’s lives have been touched with the Gospel. They still have some traveling to do and will crown the champions for the World Racing Group at the World Dirt Finals in Charlotte in a few weeks.
As I look at how far God has brought RWJM, we continue to see new opportunities on the horizon. There are still people in the racing community that need to be served. We welcome the opportunity and ask you to partner with us as we answer the call. We will catch our breath and then put plans in place to reach further. We need your help. As the year comes to a close remember us in your year-end tax deductible contributions.
Run the race in such a way as to win, throw off everything that hinders and focus on Jesus. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations help us continue this ministry. Thank You.
