The winter of 1974 was vicious in the Northeast, but not for BH and me. In
between storms, we got on our motorcycles, his CB750, me on my R60/5, and headed
to Florida. A 4 day ride, after South of the Border it cleared up, it had been
cold but we rode year round and were used to it, and by the Florida state line,
it was warm, clear and in 3 short days we had gone from winter and by passed
spring directly into summer. We finally settled in the Ft. Lauderdale area,
Pompano Beach to be exact. And I can confirm, but will not go into details all
the stories about spring break, they are true, I was there. But also in Florida
in the spring, baseball comes alive, and the New York Yankees spring training is
based out of Ft. Lauderdale. Or Fun Lauderdale as we came to know it. So
Florida in the winter and spring brings an eclectic variety of people from up
north, escaping the harsh winters. But they don’t leave the harshness of their
attitudes behind many times. I got hit by a man making a left turn from the
right lane, and got beat up pretty bad, still sore from it 40 years later. But
besides the broken bike, sitting at 441 Cycle Shop, my left wrist was in a cast,
making shifting hard. Which one night was alleviated by a girlfriend who
cleaned my dirty cast by washing it, reducing it to little better than an ace
bandage. So in between my crash and my next bike, I hitchhiked. Which I soon
learned was an acquired skill, and I got pretty good at it. But made it hard to
keep appointments, but since I had none,who cared?
One afternoon I got picked up by a young guy in a Pinto. We got to
talking, he too was from the New York metro area, and he brought up the subject
of baseball. Now ask anyone in New Mexico, “green or red?” and they know what
you mean, and even Christmas, a combination of red and green is acceptable. But
in New York baseball, its either Mets or Yankees, you love one and hate the
other. For me it always has been and always will be the Mets, with a great
disdain for the Yankees. While I was going on about the Mets, he asked me to
get something from the back seat. And there it was, a duffle bag, stenciled
with the NY Yankee logo, and the name “R. BLOMBERG, PROPERTY OF NEW YORK
YANKEES.” As I turned red faced, I could see him laughing in the rear view
mirror, he had me. This was Ron Blomberg, Yankee star DH! Giving me a ride.
And setting me up. How many others had he pulled this on? And as I started
stammering about the Yankees, he laughed even more, but not at me, with me.
Because it was funny! And we hit it off, he gave me his New York number, said
to look him up, and even left me tickets for a spring training game. He was
cool, I was embarrassed, and fortunately soon back on my motorcycle. But one
ride along the road I will always remember...
The road can be a scary place as witnessed by Abel, when Cain killed him
along the road. The man beat up and rescued by the Good Samaritan was found
dying along the road. A place where Pharisees stand and brag how good they are,
and you aren’t. But the road is also a place of hope, as we find Jesus along
the road. Where was he born? Along the road, his parents were traveling,
remember? Where did Philip meet the eunuch? Along the road. Where did Paul
experience the spirit? Along the road to Damascus. Where was the blind man
healed? Along the road. How did Jesus enter Jerusalem triumphantly? Along the
road. Where was he crucified? Along the road. And finally he showed us the
way to heaven along the road. Without roads, much of Jesus would not be told,
the importance of getting out and living for him. He didn’t say “sit and church
and be taught, keep it to yourself,” he said “as you go, share the gospel.”
Along the road. Missing blessings, maybe you need to get out and spend life
along the road. Since the beginning, life along the road has made a difference.
Abraham was given the choice of where to go, he chose the road that was blessed,
not the road to Sodom and Gomorrah. Which was where Lot’s wife was turned to a
pillar of salt, where, along the road. After being warned to not look back
after being saved. Maybe a lesson for us all. So along the road is where Jesus
is found, and where the action is. Where are you and what does your life say
about Jesus? The road you are on makes a big difference....for not all roads
lead to God. Some look appealing like the road to S&G, some are dangerous
like the Good Samaritan road experience. Some are smooth, some are rough, but
only one leads to Jesus. Have you chosen him and the road he is on, or have
even known he makes a difference in which road you choose?
Maybe that is why I can say “Jesus and motorcycles, it just don’t get any
better.” For the testimonies I share come not from sitting in church, but from
time spent on the road. And you will never know who you will meet. Just ask
Philip, or Paul. Or maybe the two men walking, who met a stranger, and after he
departed recognized who he was. Their hearts were burning inside when he was
with them. They only recognized who he was after he left. Don’t you. He will
return, but only after he has called his church home. And if you do not claim
him now, you will be left behind, wandering and wondering what that burning in
your spirit was when he was here. Some live straight, some on a street named
Straight, but without him you are going straight to hell. And the good news is
you don’t have to. It is your choice to pick the road you are on.
Not all rides were as interesting as meeting Ron Blomberg, some hitch hiked
rides are dangerous. As are the hitchhikers themselves. Be safe and secure in
Jesus, knowing you picked the right road. Made easy by the fact it is the only
road to heaven. There are 61 verses in the Bible about roads. Let me leave you
with one. For 40 years Moses led a band of Jews around, looking for the
Promised Land. Fed by God, kept safe by God, they mumbled and grumbled the
whole time. Never leaving an area of more than 40 some miles that from where
they started. Even wanting to go back to Egypt, because the food was better.
Maybe it had the salty taste of Lot’s wife, whom they forgot about. So close to
God, but never knowing him. Don’t you. Meet Jesus today, it is not too late to
change the road you are on. As Willie Nelson sang, “on the road again, I can’t
wait to get on the road again.” Willie was right, Jesus makes it all happen.
For as Judges 5 tells us, “all who are on the road sing!” Is it no coincidence
the disciples rejoiced in Luke 13, “we ate and drank in your presence, and you
taught in our streets.” And Jesus own words in Matthew 22, “go therefore to the
main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.” A
life in Christ. On the road, again.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com