Me and my old red-neck self were up late on Monday night watching the Daytona 500. After a full day and a half of waiting, it was now race time. I was excited and ready for a good race. Except for the second lap melee that collected several big time drivers, notably, Jimmy Johnson, Danica Patrick, and Trevor Bayne, it was an uncharacteristically quiet race.
That was not going to last. With 40 laps to go (that would be comparable to the last quarter in football), Juan Pablo Montoya slams into a "jet dryer" truck and trailer that was on the the track blowing debris off the course while there was a yellow flag. What happened next was unprecedented in the annals of NASCAR. The jet engine exploded, spilled 200 gallons of jet fuel on the track, and erupted in huge flames. By this time, the driver of the car and the driver of the truck had gotten out and were whisked away from the flames.
For a while, it looked as if the jet fuel would just have to burn out, but the well-trained and dedicated firemen used foam and water to beat back the flames and finally extinguish the ravaging inferno.
How could this happen? It seemed that everything was in the worst possible situation possible. The Montoya car veered out of of control because of a rear drive failure that caused the car to swerve out of control toward the third turn wall where a jet dryer truck happened to be loaded with fuel. What was never thought possible became reality. Only by God's superintending care was no one severely injured or killed as a result. I hope there are many race fans and drivers thanking their Lord that they were protected from what could have been a terrible disaster.
As I look at what happened on Monday night, I am forced to consider another explosion...this time, not a destructive one, but an explosion of care and concern.
You see Jesus cared for those who were around Him. The Bible tells us: "He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd" (Mark 6:34). I'm sure as Jesus looked at the people of Israel, He was broken over what He saw: poverty, sure, economic poverty, but even more, spiritual poverty. He saw His people who were like sheep without a shepherd. Anyone that heard those words understood exactly what Jesus meant when there was no shepherd...they were "bear bait." If left to the elements and to themselves, sheep would wander through the treacherous hills and valleys until they died of exposure, starvation, poisoning, and became food for the scavengers if not the predators. Jesus knew this, so he started where he could: "He began to teach them many things." Of course, it was His wisdom and instruction that they needed. They had to hear and experience His words of life for it was in Him that they would find answers to life's most difficult questions.
How about you? Isn't it time there was an explosion in your life? Who is it around you that you could demonstrate the love of Christ in a practical way? Who could you demonstrate God's love and care for today? Who are you burdened for? The sex slave? The unloved child? The unwed mother? The hungry? The fearful? The hurting? There are so many who need our touch. That's why we must get involved wherever we can and begin where we can. Let's start by showing those we are nearest to an explosion of care. With God's help and by our actions, they can be introduced to a Savior who loves them and cares for them so much that He would rather die than live without them.
Exploding with care,
Pastor Trey Rhodes
Need to know about the upcoming dinners?
www.ocannounce.info
That was not going to last. With 40 laps to go (that would be comparable to the last quarter in football), Juan Pablo Montoya slams into a "jet dryer" truck and trailer that was on the the track blowing debris off the course while there was a yellow flag. What happened next was unprecedented in the annals of NASCAR. The jet engine exploded, spilled 200 gallons of jet fuel on the track, and erupted in huge flames. By this time, the driver of the car and the driver of the truck had gotten out and were whisked away from the flames.
 |
| The Daytona Explosion |
How could this happen? It seemed that everything was in the worst possible situation possible. The Montoya car veered out of of control because of a rear drive failure that caused the car to swerve out of control toward the third turn wall where a jet dryer truck happened to be loaded with fuel. What was never thought possible became reality. Only by God's superintending care was no one severely injured or killed as a result. I hope there are many race fans and drivers thanking their Lord that they were protected from what could have been a terrible disaster.
As I look at what happened on Monday night, I am forced to consider another explosion...this time, not a destructive one, but an explosion of care and concern.
 |
| This sheep is "bear bait" |
How about you? Isn't it time there was an explosion in your life? Who is it around you that you could demonstrate the love of Christ in a practical way? Who could you demonstrate God's love and care for today? Who are you burdened for? The sex slave? The unloved child? The unwed mother? The hungry? The fearful? The hurting? There are so many who need our touch. That's why we must get involved wherever we can and begin where we can. Let's start by showing those we are nearest to an explosion of care. With God's help and by our actions, they can be introduced to a Savior who loves them and cares for them so much that He would rather die than live without them.
Exploding with care,
Pastor Trey Rhodes
Need to know about the upcoming dinners?
www.ocannounce.info
You described the incident perfectly. It was so strange! Anyway, your blog matches up amazingly with what we were just talking about in small group. Thanks for sharing and I too am exploding with care! Let's make a difference.
ReplyDeleteLet others see Jesus in me...that's the best way I can care. Thnx for sharing!
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