In the early 1980s, I started driving on the heels of movies and T.V. shows like Smokey and the Bandit and the Dukes of Hazard. Along with the entertainment value, they could also be described as lessons in How NOT to Drive rather than anything to do with safe driving. Along with these, B.J and the Bear, The Fall Guy, Cannonball Run, The Rockford Files, Hardcastle and McCormick, Vanishing Point, and Miami Vice and several other were some of my favorites and also bad life examples in many ways, not just driving.
While my best friend, Chuck Kennedy and I didn’t try everything that we saw on those shows we did try enough to keep the Body-Man busy (thanks Bro. Johnny Nash) and the mechanic with a few things to do as well. We drove faster than we should, took chances that we shouldn’t, drifted on dirt roads before drifting was a thing, and even got airborne a few times, ok, more than a few. God had His hands upon us, and I’m sure that many times we were held on the road by our Momma’s prayers rather than traction. Taking eternal chances on only seconds or no thought at all.
Every so often, I still enjoy a good dose of adrenalin. I’ve jumped out of a perfectly good airplane, swung out over the Royal Gorge, spent years in a war zone, rode motorcycles on some of the wildest roads anywhere, and so on. Chuck and I are even planning to join Wesley Smith in Spain to Run with the Bulls next year if all goes as planned.
My driving has slowed down considerably, and I’ve made my living as a Safety Man for many years, but I still like a thrill from time to time.
I’m not telling anyone to follow my example on anything I’ve just mentioned. I’m not advocating foolishness or taking unnecessary chances or tempting the Lord, as some of you are going to say. Maybe I have done that, I don’t really think so, but…..
I do believe that we can “Live” while we are busy living as long as we keep Living Right!
In hindsight though, most of the foolishness of my youth was done to impress my friends, some girl or even a group of strangers. The doing of it was more about the “after” or the story than the actual doing.
I am less concerned now about what anyone might think of me, and I’m married to the girl of my dreams, so it’s more about being alive than impressing anyone.
So, as I prepared a sermon a few weeks ago, I began to consider my life in God, my new birth, God dwelling in me and how that tops every thrill, every experience, every emotion, and makes everything else even better by His presence. But what is the purpose of my life in Him? What do I want out of this relationship? Am I living FOR God, or am I simply living to get to heaven? Is that the same thing? I don’t think it is.
What does the world have to offer that can compare to one day in the presence of the Lord, one moment where you know that He has His arms around you.
Even if it doesn’t work out, by the world’s understanding of “working out,” God already has it worked out.
I’m sure that at times, I’ve begrudgingly lived for the “after” rather than taking full advantage of the “here and now.”
I began to think about Heaven and Hell and how they’ve both been used to scare or entice us to live “right” and be good.
What if there were no Heaven and no Hell?
I’m not saying that I just want us to consider the idea of it.
What if this was all there was?
What if our 70, 80, 90 or 100 years was it?
What if all we had was this life?
How would you live?
Would you serve God anyway, would you love Him unconditionally as He has Loved you.
Would you still serve Him even with no Prize at the end?
Or would you live like the devil?
Would you throw caution to the wind and kick God to the curb, knowing that only a coffin awaits you?
If Hell was no longer a deterrent from allowing your flesh to control you would you let your flesh control you?
Or would you Love God for the God that He Is?
Would you continue to serve Him even though this life was It?
Are we living our lives for what’s After? Are we living just to avoid Hell?
I’m afraid that if we are living for God just to make it to heaven that we’ll never love God, really LOVE God enough to actually make it there.
Think about this and apply it.
I Love my Wife with all my heart, and I know that this experience is also the reward. The joy of living with her and being madly in love with her is my payment. The excitement I feel when I hear her voice, the anticipation of coming home and being in her presence. The peace of just being in her fellowship and presence.
She’s not laying up treasures for later. This is our life, this is our relationship, this is the joy and reward of that faithful companionship and devotion.
Heaven is REAL and will be there for the faithful, but if we’re trying to live FOR HIM just to get to Heaven, I’m afraid we’ll never LOVE HIM enough to actually get there.
We must love Him for Him. We MUST fall in Love With our maker. Dedicate our time to pleasing Him, fawn over Him, pet on Him, cater to Him, Fall in Love with Him, over and over and over again.
Similar to a thriving relationship with a spouse, it only works if you are IN LOVE with Christ. That’s one of the reasons we are called the Bride of Christ.
The Bible talks way more about living for God in this life than it does about Heaven. I believe we sell ourselves short, lose out on miracles, and sometimes live defeated lives because we are living to get to Heaven and Not Living to LOVE Jesus!
What did those old car movies and T.V. shows have to do with this? Probably not much, but here we are and now your thinking.
I promise you that once you Love Jesus more than you love yourself and once you are willing to serve Him without the promise of a prize, pleasing Him will be your heart’s desire and the focus of your existence.
As a final thought, I want to say that even the most faithful Christian has bad days, weeks, months, and even years. Every day is not a picnic or a parade, every day is not a holiday. Some days are going to be dark and gloomy. There is Life in Christ! Never allow yourself to be defeated without a fight. If your struggle seems overwhelming. If your heart is broken and you can’t even find all the pieces. If you are alone and lonely and see no way out. Don’t give up, don’t try to keep going alone. Cry out to your friends, your family, your pastor, a counselor. There is no shame in asking for help or asking for a sympathetic ear or asking someone to get down and pray with you. You have not finished fighting until we have fought alongside you. God wants us to be victorious, but we as a body have to cry out to the rest of the body for help. If you need an ear, I am here!
God Bless You Richly,
Greg
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The Swimming Axehead 