The sounds are always there, it just seems we don’t hear them. Case in
point, while riding in a friend’s Asian sedan, the one with a sports package,
meaning wide tires and expensive wheels, with no radio on the sound from the
tires was so excessive you had to talk over it. My first thought was how
foolish, it didn’t have to be this way, blame it on poor engineering. Someone
had to listen to the tires before signing off on them, but then I realized that
no one drives around without the radio cranked up. At least loud enough to
cover the noise, which the volume doesn’t make go away, but just covers it. A
poor design, but maybe they know their audience better than I do, as the owner
never complained. And they think my bike is loud!
When Bill and Bob went hunting, and asked what they would do if they
encountered a bear, and could they outrun it, Bill confidently said “I know I
can’t outrun the bear, I just have to outrun Bob.” So much for being your
brother’s keeper. But sadly this approach is taken to problems, cure the
symptom, or just mask it-don’t deal with the cause. Self survival, which just
might upset someone. Which brings me to hybrid cars. I don’t care for them.
If you are that concerned about mpg, ride a motorcycle. But they aren’t that
cool, so drive a cross between a golf cart and a go cart-with all the
personality of a shopping cart. And I have always wondered, why are the hybrid
cars designed with such weird looks? Why are aerodynamics so important on an
hybrid, but not given the same consideration on an internal combustion engine
car? And then I found out-noise. You see between exhaust, engine noise, tire
noise, and other associated sounds, electric cars don’t make many of them, which
accentuate those they do. One noise is the sound of air passing over the body,
it produces whistles, and other noises the engine and exhaust noises cover.
Anyone who rides a motorcycle can tell you the impact a fairing has on how the
bike sounds, some noise is muffled, some accentuated. So we put on headers and
modify the exhaust-to make it sound cool. But you can’t put headers on an
electric motor-no matter what they all sound like a vacuum cleaner or sewing
machine. So the lack of sound accentuates the ever present noise, and
aerodynamics is a must. But we still don’t hear these stealth golf carts, which
can be dangerous. All in the name of political correctness. Making a car that
is neither.
Talking with some Christian men last night, one wondered why some hear from
God more than he does. He wondered if God talks to him? Again the answer is
right in front of us, probably as loud as the radio covering the tire noise.
God is always talking to us-He never left us, never forsakes us, and His spirit
will always dwell among us. It is us who have stopped listening-or worse yet
chosen not to. We know His voice, but choose our own ways over His, and then
wonder where is God. Jesus tells us we have the Holy spirit to guide us-don’t
make it more difficult than it is. Yet we have developed a hybrid Christian,
Jesus is savior, but is He Lord? He even asked His followers, “why do you call
me Lord, Lord, but do not do the things I ask?” And your answer is....
God has designed us so we can hear His voice, and recognize it. Yet we
have chosen to turn up the radio, drown out the noise, and God with it. Then
place the blame on God. It is like the glass being half full, or half empty.
Maybe it is neither, just a poor design. So rather than have God change, He
wants us to change to be like Him. He gave us more ears than mouth, and we can
control our talking, but not our hearing. Hearing is also the last sense to go
before death. Do you think that just might be by design, a great example of
patience? Yet so many read books on how to be a better Christian, attend
classes, and attempt to lead others in their ways, a voice we can shut off, or
turn off, but many do that to God also. Consider that next time you just read
your Bible. Some think it is a biography, when it is really an autobiography.
And we get to know the author, which gives us better insight into the book. And
I have been to His house, and will return there someday-can you say the same
thing?
Today when you pray, before asking stop and listen. Be led by the spirit,
He knows what to pray. And listen for that still, small voice. Then be bold in
love, and follow its direction. Be able to call Him Lord. And watch as your
life changes, and you go from a hybrid to a thoroughbred. And thoroughbreds
like to eat the good stuff, and God has plenty of it for us. Tune that exhaust
system, don’t worry about externals, deal with internals first. Let God change
you. An electric car has lousy range, and takes over 13 hours to fully
recharge, if you can find a station to charge it. So you cannot go very far,
and are limited. God’s range is endless, just like He is. And He makes a
beautiful sound in our ears. Just saying the name Jesus in reverence is
powerful-and can be powerfully peaceful and quiet. Unlike certain high
performance tires...which get louder as they wear out.
“Can you hear me now?” the cell phone commercial asks. Can you hear God
now? Are you listening? Do you want to? It has been said that the reason
people get hit by trains is they never heard it coming. Jesus is coming, are
you listening? Turn down the volume, turn up your heart, and listen. The sweet
sound of Jesus-headers for the heart. A tuned exhaust for more power. Sorry I
can’t hear you, you were saying...never let that be said about God.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com