Probably one of the scariest things that can happen to you is being chased. Add the fear of actually being caught to that, and what can happen and nothing else comes close. Then add to that, a faceless, inanimate adversary, who you don't know, and wants to kill you, and you don't know why, and you truly know fear. Such is the premise for one of my favorite movies-and it's even in color, Duel. Steven Spielberg's first film, an ABC movie of the week, it is about a truck, whose driver we never see, chasing a timid man across the desert in his 1969 Plymouth Valiant, trying to kill him by running him off the road. For almost 90 minutes you are so scared you, you find yourself in the car with David Mann, trying to outduel the truck. I will not tell you the end-see it.
Theresa and I had our own Duel experience. In 1978, we lived in a cabin at Vallecito Lake, outside of Durango. No work, and our hearts were leaning towards ministry, so we answered an ad for house parents for Colorado Boys Ranch in La Junta, about 300 miles, and over the mountain from us. After talking with them, we decided to go for a interview, and drove our Rabbit. We were over Wolf Creek Pass in daylight, but by the time we hit Walsenburg, it was dark. Remember this was when the speed limit was 55mph, and cops would ticket you for 60, so we kept the pace down.
Now the road after Walsenburg is flat, straight , and nothing for about 100 miles. Not the place to break down, or as we found out, encounter a Duel-like trucker. We were running along at about 60mph, when a set of headlights came up on us fast. Staying a steady speed, we waited for them to pass, but they didn't, or more accurately wouldn't. This huge truck stayed on our tail, sometimes so close that his headlights illuminated the inside of our car, and sometimes so close you couldn't even see the headlights! It was an eerie feeling being followed/chased like that, and we got scared. At that time it was not unusual for truckers to take a lot of speed, and looking back this guy might have been strung out, nuts, suicidal, or just out to scare someone. It didn't matter-we were scared for our lives. Much of the time all I could see was a huge grill filling my rear window, and I even considered having Theresa shoot at the truck, taking out our rear window and his radiator. She even had the gun pointed. We eventually sped up to over 85mph, trying to outrun him, with no success, the truck still glued to our mirror, it's dark outside, and no place to pull off-all there was was high desert. Finally, with fear overtaking us, and no other way out, we pulled off at a high speed into the dirt and slammed on the brakes-as the tanker semi went by honking his horn. We sat for a few minutes to get our composure back, where are the cops when you need them?
Fortunately, the truck didn't turn around-another one of our fears, and we made it to La Junta safely-and shaken.
Your adversary the devil chases you looking to devour you. And sometimes the chase can be worse than the confrontation. We are reminded to not look back, ala Lot's wife, but sometimes when in fear all we can see is our past. And when we do, we often forget how God got us through things in the past. And how He will again, if we let Him. We are told to resist the devil and he will flee-good advice, but then to put on the things of God-a two step process. You see when the devil flees, it leaves a void, and there is always something, not always holy to fill it. So we need God to fill the void, to fill the vacancy created, and only He can.
Remembering that God is love, the best way to resist the devil is to love your enemy back. Now at the time I hated that trucker, it was the evil inside him I really hated. And we need to be reminded that our battle is not against people, but powers of evil. And the best way to resist him is to love your enemy. No shouting, or casting him out-Jesus already overcame him at the cross. Love your enemy! Hate the sin-not the sinner.
Unfortunately-society has it all wrong, and is watching our reactions. I hope you can disappoint them the next time, by not over reacting, but reacting in love. Walk your talk-resist the devil and he will flee! He cannot stand love-because God is love! And watch as the Lord deals with your situation unlike you would have in hate. Revenge is His business, and you don't mess with His children! And like most situations, the one who retaliates gets caught! Don't fall into the trap!
Trust Him today, no matter what is chasing you, whether a family matter, financial situation, joblessness, or a truck is gaining on you. Trust God! He is always one step ahead, but never too far that He can't be reached. He saved our lives on the road that night, somewhere in all our fear, He knew and our cry for help was answered.
By the way, we got the job-but didn't take it. God had something better for us, and gave us two sons to raise instead. That can be scary too! So turn your eyes upon Jesus today, and watch as the things of earth grow dim in the light of His glory and grace.
Make mine a ham and cheese on rye, R-Y-E! Watch the movie! But for the things of God, read the book!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com
