Category: Devotional

A Dissertation on White Wall Tires

Hands down, Cars is easily one of my favorite movies. It falls in somewhere behind Forrest Gump, but ahead of Pirates of the Caribbean.

Cars is a sentimental piece evoking nostalgia for Route 66, the Southwestern lifestyle, and for the relationships of small-town life.

There’s a moment in the film, as Lightning McQueen is preparing to return to his normal life of racing for Piston Cup glory, where he decides to patronize the businesses of the cars that hosted him in the fictitious small Route 66 town of Radiator Springs.

First stop, Luigi’s tire shop.

Luigi, who hasn’t had a customer in years, is overjoyed at the prospect of fitting Lightning for the perfect set of tires. (The scene is reminiscent of the old days of buying shoes in an actual shoe store with a salesman who not only helped you find the right fit, but the right look as well.)

Lightning, being as good a customer as possible, asks for the best set of black wall tires Luigi has, to which Luigi iconically replies, “No, you don’t know what you want, Luigi knows what you want.”

Lightning replies, “You’re the expert,” and completely goes along with whatever Luigi suggests. The same thing happens when Lightning visits Ramone’s paint and body shop.

The result, a shiny, sparkling Lightning McQueen that radiates on a main street that has just been repaved, with the neon signs fixed, and its Route 66 glory on full display. For a moment, the people, er, cars of Radiator Springs enjoy a beautiful time reminiscent of their former glory.

Lightning McQueen, a modern racecar, had only known racing tires, black wall, slick tread, and made by Goodyear. Yet, when he followed Luigi’s advice, he was introduced to a whole new world.

Out on my walk today, I got to thinking about how often we fail to understand what we really want, defining our desires around things that we’ve already known, and missing blessings that we’ve never seen.

You see, we don’t know what we want. God knows what we want.

Just like Lightning thought black wall racing slicks would meet his need, as it is all he has ever known, we think that our desires can be fulfilled with a better job, more money, better health, or maybe we’re just wishing that our one main problem would be solved.

And as Lightning so innocently asked for black wall tires, we pray to God asking for those things. Asking for the new job, the financial solution, for healing, or for God to resolve our conflict and win our battle once and for all.

But, unlike Lightning, who was fitted and placed into a set of white wall tires within a matter of seconds, often, our requests seem to go unanswered for days, weeks, months and even years.

What strikes me about this is that scripture says in Romans 8:28 that “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

The premise of this verse is that God is good. Not only is God good, but God does good. Not only does God do good (for the greater good), but He does what is good for us personally.

Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for our good. Our own good. Everything that life brings you, God uses it for your good.

That doesn’t mean that everything that happens in your life was God’s idea, neither does it mean that everything that happens in your life is good.

Some things happen in your life that are horrible, things that were perpetrated upon you by people who had the worst intentions. Yet, God, in His infinite wisdom, knowledge and goodness, saw a way to turn the evil done to you into a blessing. So, the road may be paved in suffering, but God drew the map and the road is taking you someplace amazing.

And the wild thing about this concept is that the good God is leading you to is something that you may never have imagined. That thing may be better than the solution or the desire you have imagined.

Sometimes, we get what we think we wanted, only to find out it’s not what we really wanted.

But, with God, we get what we didn’t really think we wanted, only to find out it’s what we really wanted all along.

The thing that helps me get through tough times, and gives me hope even when my prayers go unanswered, is that God knows me better than I know myself. Therefore, even if I don’t get what I ask for, I will come to realize that the answer that I do get will be good, and will probably be better than I could’ve imagined.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Look at that Happiness!

Sometimes, it pays to stop and take stock of how far God has brought you, and where God has placed you.

In the opening words of Psalm 21, King David says, “The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! ²Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.”

The word “Selah” indicates a pause, and a reflection. King David is pausing to reflect on the words he just lifted up to God.

The first thing he said is, “The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord.”

“The king…”

King David does not usually refer to himself in the third person like this, and he usually doesn’t refer to himself as king, at least, not in the psalms. Yes, he was the rightful king of Israel, so ordained by God, but David didn’t go around boasting his title. Instead, he was just king. He just did what God wanted him to do.

But here… David calls himself king. He is taking stock of where God has placed him.

No longer is he the shepherd boy living outside Bethlehem, he is king of Israel.

And his rise to power and prominence wasn’t the result of his own political abilities, nor was it the result of his own conquest, rather it was God who elevated him to that role.

The king shall joy in the strength of the Lord.

Here, David’s reflection moves beyond where God has placed him to the power and magnificence that defines the Lord’s character.

God’s strength is more powerful than anything we can imagine. As the creator of the universe, He has the ability to speak things into existence and to alter the course of time, and the composition of matter simply by desiring it.

This power is seen on full display in John 2, where Jesus turns the water into wine simply by willing it to change.

This God, with all His power and authority, had enveloped David in His good will. That same God, with the same power and strength, envelopes us in His good will as well.

Not only did God create us and give us life, but He used His power and authority to redeem us from sin and death. He then uses His power and strength for our good, as Romans 8:28 says that “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:31 goes on to reinforce the truth that God wants, and will do, good for us. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

So, in Psalm 21, David is taking stock of where God has placed him, and Who God is, and is celebrating the Lord’s salvation. He goes on to reflect all the prayers God has answered, and all the requests God has granted. This all culminates with David, once again, expressing faith and joy in the Lord.

In life, there always seems to be another mountain before us. We always seem to be facing another obstacle, another crisis, another problem, and another challenge to our faith.

And, even though we have our meltdowns and our breakdowns, we always seem to find a way to pray it out before God and move forward in faith.

But… one of the great tragedies in life is to miss the blessings you’ve already been granted because you are too focused on your problems.

So, we must intentionally stop, take a moment, reflect on Who God is, remembering His goodness, then take the time to count the blessings. Yes, there may be a mountain before us, but how about that mountain He already carried us over, and how about this beautiful valley in which we stand?

Even though I still have remnants from my past life stressing me out, it helps to start my day in the Lord’s presence with prayer and devotional time (which produces many of these blog posts). And centering my day on the Lord helps me to appreciate not only the past blessings, but the beauty and amazement of the place where I am now, and the new life He’s given me.

Take time to remember your blessings and praise the Lord for them today. You’ll be glad you did. It will lift your spirits.

My Prayer for You

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

My daily Bible reading took me through Psalm 20 today, which says:

The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; ²Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; ³Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.

⁴Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. ⁵We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the Lord fulfil all thy petitions. ⁶Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. ⁷Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. ⁸They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. ⁹Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call.

Reading these words made me think of my church, and my friends, and my ultimate desire for them.

As I take stock of everything, I am reminded of the numerous battles each individual member of my church, and each of my friends face. I am reminded of the challenges that lay before my children, and the challenges that each of the students in FCA face.

Some face health crises, some financial, some family problems, but in each situation, the anxiety is high and the consequences are potentially devastating.

So, we pray.

So, my prayer for you, for each of you, is that the Lord hear your prayers. I pray that He not only hears your prayers, but your cries, the silent cries that well up in our hearts but never escape our lips.

I pray the Lord steps up and defends you, sends you help, and I pray that He remembers your faithfulness and everything that He has done for you.

And, when the Lord hears and answers your prayers, I pray that I am there so that I can rejoice together with you.

This is a prayer that Psalm 20 says we can pray in faith, because the Lord saves His anointed. He rescues His people. While others trust in their own resources and abilities (chariots and horses,) our God makes us to stand.

So, I don’t know what you’re praying for today. I don’t know what’s on your heart. But my prayer for you is that God brings His divine resolution to it and brings you peace.

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

Photo by Kennst du schon die Umkreisel App? on Pexels.com

When I told everyone that I was leaving the bright lights of Austin for the quiet nights of Hermleigh, TX, people mostly had the same reaction… “There’s not much to do there, is there?”

In fact, when I told my boss that I was leaving to pastor the First Baptist Church of Hermleigh, the only part of that statement that made sense was the fact that I was leaving the insurance industry to follow my true calling in life.

Austin has a population of around a million people, has professional and Division 1 college sports, concerts galore (live music capital of the world), shopping, lifestyle and a robust parks system.

Hermleigh…

Well, let me tell you what Hermleigh has…

STARS!…

You can’t see the stars in Austin for all the city lights… but in Hermleigh, where there are no city lights, and where the town sleeps well, you can see the entire Milky Way. And, since we have an Allsups, you can buy a Milky Way candy bar so you can eat a Milky Way while gazing at the Milky Way. But… I digress.

You can’t beat the night sky in Hermleigh. It costs nothing to gaze at the wonder of it all. And the longer you gaze, the more impressive it becomes.

During the day, the Texas sky puts on a show, with some of the most amazing cloud shows known to man, while you can watch the storms and showers develop from afar off.

You see, the beautiful thing about Hermleigh is that you can afford to stop and give yourself time to take in the glory of God’s creation.

In Psalm 19:1-3, David writes, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. ²Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. ³There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.”

God’s glory is shown through the heavens above. This is literally referring to the sky above us. As you gaze into the clouds, and as you take in the power and magnificence of the storms that roll through, you are seeing the power and magnificence of God on full display.

The firmament is the night sky. These are the stars, the planets visible with the unaided eye from our backyards. As you gaze into the Milky Way, seeing more stars and seeing deeper into the universe the longer you look, you are seeing the handywork of God.

When you consider how it all works together… how the weather works in a perfect harmony to provide rain, sun, wind, and varying temperatures… when you see the perfection of it all, you see the clear evidence of the existence of God.

When you consider how perfectly the universe is made, how gravity works perfectly to keep the planets and stars properly aligned to sustain life on our planet, you see evidence of God’s perfection.

This divine evidence is clearly understood by all cultures, all peoples, and all nations. There is no place on earth where the language of creation is not clearly heard.

Now, anytime I write about the existence of God, and the irrefutable evidence of His existence in creation, I receive an email or a comment from an atheist who blasts me for my “superstition” and “believing in an imaginary friend.”

Okay… so be it… you can believe what you want to believe…

But…

When you consider how the creation works so well in harmony with itself, can you think of any other instance where such order happens by chance? Can you think of any other circumstance where order happens without the intentional guidance of an engineer?

Without design, and without intention, there is chaos. So, given the order of the environment and universe in which we live, it is obvious that there is design and intention, which necessitates a creator.

And a creation of the magnitude in which we live requires a divine creator.

So, yes, when I stop and take in the creation around me, whether it’s the vastness of the South Plains, the magnificent views of the mountains, the beauty of the oceans, or the glory of the heavens, I see the glory of my God Who created Heaven and Earth.

So, my advice is… stop and smell the roses. Take some time to enjoy the creation around you. If need-be, take up the hobby of digital photography on your phone. It will help you to see things differently, to see your surroundings as you’ve never seen them before.

And as you do, be thankful to God, and admire His glory.