.
It is that time of year; the heat is on; not only the heat of summer, but
the heat of the championship races. Over the next few weeks things come into
focus and start to sort themselves out. When we face the heat how do you
respond? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Racing has its way of sorting things out, the pressure cooker of summer
determines who has what it takes to withstand the heat and position
themselves for the stretch run. The teams that can make it through the heat
without wilting are prepared to finish the race. I always look to this time
of year for an indication of who is prepared to persevere.
We need to prepare the same way in life, we will face pressure and heat.
How well we prepare indicates if we will persevere. The writer of Chronicles
gives us some guidance toward that. Here is an Old Testament passage that
will help.
2 Chronicles 7:13-16;
"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain,
or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and
seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will
forgive their sin
and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to
the prayers offered in this place.
I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there
forever.
My eyes and my heart will always be there.
The words of David reminds us that putting our
trust in things, possessions and created things will bring us to our knees
in failure. Those that trust in the Lord God will rise up and stand firm.
Who or what have we put our trust and faith in?
"Let me provide a little background to this passage. Solomon,
David’s son, had completed the temple of our Lord. God responded to that
completion with these verses. God explained that when we face difficulties
we need to come into the house of God, kneel before his throne, confess our
sins and pray with all our heart.
God promised to always be there, to see and listen when His people come
before him and show him the respect He deserves as God, he will hear and
heal.
Where do we turn when the going gets tough? Where do we go for answers
when the questions are beyond our understanding? What do we do when we
realize we have no control over the situations of our lives? There is only
one place to turn, we must come before God and seek His direction.
The great thing to remember is that if we come before God with humility
and seeking forgiveness, He will hear and heal. That is His promise and He
has the power and authority to keep it.
So how do we respond when the heat is turned up? Here is an illustration
that can help see the different ways we can respond. Which one most reflects
our tendency?
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how
things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it
and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed
as one problem was solved a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In
the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last
she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a
word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the
carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed
them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what do you see?"
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and
noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it.
After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she
asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich
aroma.
The daughter then asked. "What does it mean?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same
adversity—boiling water—but each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However after being
subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid
interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became
hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the
boiling water they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your
door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with
pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a soft heart, but changes with the heat?
Did I have a fluid spirit, but after death, a breakup, a financial hardship
or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my outside look
the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a
hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water,
the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it
releases the fragrance and flavor.
If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better
and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials
are their greatest do you elevate to another lever?
How do we handle Adversity? Are we a Carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
2 Chronicles
7:13-16; "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain,
or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and
seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will
forgive their sin
and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to
the prayers offered in this place.
I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there
forever.
My eyes and my heart will always be there.
A GENTLE GIANT - This past week
saw the passing of a true gentle man Johnson Jones. As I reflected on his
smile and genuine love for our sport I lamented not taking the time to sit
with him for more than a few minutes. We all seem so busy but when someone
leaves us we realize maybe we should have made more time.
I was reading Richie Pallai Jr’s comments about his relationship with
Johnson and I realized I missed something. I missed an opportunity to know
better a man who fought through health challenges to be with the family he
loved, racers.
We will miss his presence, the grace he had in spite of his difficulties
and his smile. We will miss his knowledge of many racing facts. We will
lament not making more of an effort to truly know Johnson.
We will however have his memory and the influence he brought, his desire
to treat people with respect and be happy with the opportunities we have
been provided in spite of the obstacles. Godspeed my friend.
Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto
Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue
this ministry. Thank You.
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your prayer and counseling needs no matter what part of our racing family
you are in, or give us a call. Remember that God loves you, we love you and
Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing. GOD BLESS.
Mail reaches us at Racing with Jesus Ministries, PO Box 586,
Tolland, CT 06084.
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Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord
make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face
toward you and give you peace."
May God always Bless you, everyday in everyway. Rev. Don
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