To many of us, or really too many of
us, rely on a relationship with our local dealer. He is the one who stays open
late so we can pick up that needed part, will even sometimes drop it by on his
way home, or take one off a new bike in an emergency. At least that is the way
it used to be, and can be today. The dealership owner rode, and on any Sunday
morning ride would encounter his group of customers, adding to the ride, but
sometimes subtracting from it also, he needed a day just to go for a ride like
we do. But yet got hit with so many questions, requests for helping me with my
bike, and soon the day was gone, the miles were too few, and Monday came around,
his Sunday, and all the non-shop things at home were calling. It was a shop
where we all knew each other by name or reputation, which lent us each a
nickname to go with it. We would joke “what mother would name her kid The, as
in The Cruiser?” We became friends, and would wait anxiously when he returned
from the dealer meeting, to see what new bike we lusted after but couldn’t
afford. Did the new 750 really perform like the 1000? Was there a new sport
model, race replica? Was it just new colors again, or was this the year to
trade? The dealer, our dealer was more than a friend, he was the connection to
the outside inner workings of the industry. Long before the mega dealer, he
eked out a living, barely broke even, but had more friends and loyal customers
than he could count. It started with a love of motorcycles, turned into a
hobby, then a business, and then a lifelong relationship. We watched as his
family members helped in the business, his wife would work parts, and his son
would learn basic mechanical skills. But as the time passed, he got older, he
looked forward to riding like we did, all the people passing through the doors
talked of places he had heard of but never rode, and one day, to our surprise,
the shop was closed. The sign said “NEW OWNERS” and we all were in shock. What
happened? He never said anything about closing? Was he OK? But really it was,
“where will we go now? Our friend is gone...”
But soon it was “will the
new owners understand like he did? Will he give me the shop discount? What
will I do in an emergency?” Suddenly we were no longer friends with the dealer,
but customers. New customers, and the relationship building process would begin
again. Some too old to care, some too young to remember how it was, and a part
of the brotherhood, a personal relationship with motorcycles and motorcycling
was gone. An old dog of a ride would have to learn new tricks, hopefully the
new owner would too. Somewhere besides the free hot dogs, banners, and mail
outs, we hoped there was a person. Where we never filled out name and address,
now we became part of a data base, and looking at it found some of our friends
real first name. BH was really Bernard, Slim was really Edwin, and Silly Willie
was really Durwood. Durwood? The times changed, but how would they change
us?
In the beginning, riding
was like that. But so was man’s relationship with God. But something changed
along the way, and we fell from grace. Sin God called it, and it separated us
from him. One day Adam and Eve are walking in the garden with him, the next day
hiding behind the bushes. The dealership with God after sin said “NEW OWNER”
and our relationship would never be the same. The garden was closed, the
entrance blocked, the new owner had a much different attitude towards us. Soon
we all went our own ways, some quit on God, some made up new gods, some even
denied there ever was a God, and old friends would divide over the decisions.
Where would we turn for help, comfort, love and compassion? The new owner had
none of those qualities. Life would never be the same under the new owner, and
we concentrated so much on us, we never knew how much the old owner loved and
needed us. And then Jesus came along...
For God so loved the
world, the scripture tells us, that he gave over his only son, so we could have
life everlasting. So we could be reintroduced to the father, the original
owner. To go back to when he knew us all by name, and we knew him. To where it
was personal, and we were not separated from him. To start riding again, to
have access to a 24/7 hot line to parts, service, and see all the new models.
We had the inside track available to us again, but not all saw Jesus as God. It
was their choice to say no to Jesus, to quit riding, quit living and trust man.
Some even gave themselves over to false gods, and the devil, the new owner made
sure they kept away from the truth. Vicious advertising, false claims, and
neglecting, denying of the holy spirit. Yet Jesus loved us, and the spirit is
still calling sinners to repent today. That is why the devil attacks so
vehemently that Jesus is not the son of God, that he is not deity, and that
there is no hope in him. All lies to keep him in business...and us from
heaven. His continuous vicious attack that denies the scripture that says “no
one who denies the son has the father.” Through that he can get at the secret
revealed in the Bible about Jesus, and his saving grace. About power in the
spirit, and the love from a loving father. Causing many to never know the love
that God has for his children, no matter how far astray they have fallen. A
glory revealed through Jesus Christ his son, and available to all who turn to
him. The day after the fall things changed, the day Jesus died on the cross,
the game changed again, now and forever.
The
days of the local dealer have gone over to the mega dealer. But the heart of
the motorcyclist still remains, the desire to ride and fellowship. Mega
churches may dilute the intimacy, but Jesus never changes. He knows you by
name, whether Silly Willy, Eagle, Nippy, or Crazy. He knows you and wants you
to ride again with him, to know his father, to be guided by his spirit. The
doors are open, a new boss is in town, and the old owner, the devil knows his
days are limited. So before he goes under for good, he will get every soul he
can, that is his business. Don’t go there, start a new relationship today, you
may be the the one who changes the the new owner into a friend, who knows all
your names. Who introduces you to his son and family, who will stay open late
for you. Who wants to make it personal, his profit being found in the
relationship, the profit in lives saved. The whole program of
creation was intended to be the Father, taking of the fullness that was in Him,
and, through the eternal Spirit, imparting it to the Son. The Son, in turn,
takes of the fullness that He has received, and, through the eternal Spirit,
imparts it to humans and the whole creation to the end that the fullness may be
reflected back in visible manifestation to the Father, and so the whole created
world would glorify God. That is God's design for the
universe.
If it works for
motorcycles, it can work for man in Jesus, too. He is the answer to where do we
go now that the old shop is gone. He is where we turn the day after the local
dealer closed. He is the reward that keeps us riding. He wants your business,
all of it, and at prices you can afford. Stop looking, start riding. The best
rides are yet to come. And then, retirement, and the ride we all long for in
heaven. Riding and Jesus, it’s that personal.
love with
compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com