Chapel Service
Tucson Speedway
May 5, 2018
“Buckle Up!!!”
As I watched a bunch of our former “Kids” (as Kathy & I call all of you racing in our K&N Series) during the Talladega Xfinity race last weekend; I seriously got to thinking about the past and one thing that is still the same today as my day. That is heading out of the garage and down pit road at any given track and stopping part way or at the end of pit road to take a deep breath, focus, and pull down hard on your belts one last time.
Let’s read: Hebrews 4:11–16
“Now that we know what we have—Jesus, the Son of God, this great High Priest who has entered Heaven and is seated with the Father and intercedes for us – let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to Him with confidence and get what He is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
It’s sort of like the flight here to Tucson and we hear: “The captain has turned on the seat belt sign, indicating that we are entering an area of turbulence. Please return to your seats immediately and securely fasten your seat belt.”
Flight attendants give that warning when necessary because in rough air, unbuckled passengers can be injured. Secured in our seats, we can safely ride out the turbulence.
Here at the track our seats, belts, Hans Devices, chassis construction and sometimes “safer barriers” today let us ride out safely what can be waiting to happen to us on track.
It’s the same in our personal lives. Most of the time, life doesn’t warn us of the unsettling experiences coming our way.
But our loving Father knows what’s coming to us and cares about our struggles. He invites us to bring our cares, hurts, and fears to Him. The Scriptures tell us, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings’ we do, yet He did not sin.
Sure, Jesus didn’t drive a stock car and get into a vicious wreck racing. He only faced a far more vicious crash with destiny as He came up against a wall of hate, unbelief, bigotry, torture and crucifixion on the cross completely for our sake.
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.
There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Maybe that might be while racing today!
In seasons of turbulence, going to our Father in prayer is the best thing we can do. The phrase “grace to help us when we need it”—means that in His presence we can be “buckled” in peace during threatening times, or even in the seat of a stock car today, because we bring our concerns to the One who is greater than all!
When life feels overwhelming, we can pray. He can help us through the turbulence.
Father, sometimes life is overwhelming. Help me to trust You with all the turbulent moments, knowing how deeply You care for my life.
Although we cannot anticipate the trials of life, we can pray to our Father who fully understands what we face…even on track tonight.
Why not make that stop, pull down on the belts and ask for His help.
FURTHER INSIGHT:
Throughout the Scriptures we are reminded that God cares about our struggles. When David was pursued by the murderous Saul, he sought refuge in a cave (1 Samuel 22:1; 24:3–4). It is likely this is where he penned Psalm 142 as his prayer to God. The despondent David lamented that “no one is concerned for me” and he had no one to turn to for help (v. 4). But David did turn his troubles over to his God: “I cry aloud to the Lord . . . . I tell Him my trouble” (vv. 1–2).
Like David, we may be “caved in” by our troubles, finding ourselves “in desperate need” (v. 6). We may lament that “no one understands or cares” (v. 4). But we too can turn our troubles over to God. We can make God our refuge, echoing David in faith and trust, “You are my refuge” (v. 5), and we can cast our “anxiety on Him because He cares for us” (1 Peter 5:7).
As this season progresses I figure to move to a shorter message at each event and focus on just one short verse or subject we can be brief upon, unlike the past years.
If you have any particular scripture verse or subject you desire to cover simply let Kathy or me know or text me and we can do that. Let me close with this thought:
To ANY Race Car Driver