Last Sunday was a down day, a day to rest, and so I spent time reading some
magazines I have accumulated over the past 40+ years. Mostly cars and
motorcycles-what else is there? In the background I had been watching the Mecum
Auction in Kissimmee, Florida, and watching as cars I was reading about were
selling for unbelievably high prices. Maybe you can’t go home, but you can go
back if you have enough money. Or line of credit. Muscle cars will always be
hot, and I remember how we used to brag “there is no replacement for
displacement,” or “no substitute for cubic inches.” Watching as Corvettes went
from a six cylinder, then a 265 cubic inch, then 283, 327, 396, 427, and 454!
Horsepower raising from 150 to over 450! Only the insurance companies placing
extremely high premiums on these performance cars, along with OPEC’s embargo
brought the power down after 1973. The 454 went to 220hp, and 180 was it from a
small block. Suddenly MPG took precedent over MPH, and cars got heavier,
slower, and weren’t as much fun. The time period from 1972-1985 meant no
performance, substituting stripes, chickens on hoods ala Trans Ams, and soon
fine Corinthian leather was more admired than a set of Lake pipes roaring.
Maybe there was a substitute for cubic inches....or had we just switched
priorities? In 1981 when we had a Chevy Citation X-11, with 135hp, it would
screech the tires-barely, and Motor Trend bragged on its power. Today any econo
car will have that many or more and outrun it, 35 years ago it was a Bow Tie
special. Even Corvettes were dumbed down to 150 horses, unless you got the L82,
which eventually got you up to 220 horses, but the days of power to the pavement
were gone, to be resurrected in the new millenium, as computer controlled cars
now bring us 564 hp Mustangs, from 302 cubes, but for awhile we had to be
satisfied with what we had...so we chose the path of vinyl roofs, vinyl seats,
stereo radios, custom wheels, and stickers. If we weren’t fast, at least we
could be comfortable. Or so the ads had told us. So when muscle cars failed
us, we went else where. From 1969 to 1974 the world changed, and so did we.
All the power we once worshipped we abandoned, and now 40 years later we want it
back, and for those with the money to relive the memory it is
available.....
It had been a whirlwind time in Jerusalem. Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem
on a borrowed donkey, the hero of the day. High power, high performance, he had
healed the lame, given eyesight to the blind, raised the dead. He was given a
hero’s worship, if there had been stickers everyone would have had a Jesus
sticker on their horse or cart. But the one thing the Jews were looking for,
the one thing he hadn’t come for, was to overthrow the Roman government. And
after his apparent weakness before Pilate, they soon changed their attitude.
They wanted power, but were more interested in comfort, and Pilate was forced
into giving them a choice of two Jesuses. Jesus Barabbas or Jesus Christ. You
know the story, but did you know that Barabbas meant son of the father? His
first name was Jesus? He was a murderer, mean, a hard nosed revolutionary, and
had much blood on his hands. What a difference in Jesus Christ, who was the Son
of God, and ruled out of love rather than hate. One Jesus ruled by his hands
and his wits, the other by his heart and his love. One took lives, the other
was about to give his life for a crowd yelling to crucify him. But God is in
control, and even Jesus knew the cross laid ahead for him, and so Jesus Barabbas
was set free, by a public vote-release him. Given the choice they chose death
over life, how soon they had changed their hearts when they didn’t get their
way. And too often we do to. We choose power over love, gain over sacrifice,
lust over love. And that power may rule for a time, but in the end absolute
power corrupts absolutely, and love will conquer all.
Have you ever been disappointed in Jesus? Have you ever asked him for
something and he told you no? Or told you to wait, which was worse. Or didn’t
perform as you expected, so you gave up on him, and leaned on your own selfish
understanding. Convinced God hadn’t lived up to your expectations, did you seek
alternatives only to be disappointed? How many times do we say “if only I had
waited..?” “If only I had trusted God...” We seek the substitute for heavenly
inches for a brief time, and then look back on how it was, dreaming only of how
it could have been. Dumbed down like our motors, but putting a happy face on
what was. We give up power, seek the luxury, and find that we miss the power
more than we thought. Only time heals the wound, and too many memories start
with “remember when Glenn had that GTO with the Ram Air?” Or “remember the
burnouts we used to do?” Funny how we became the burnouts when it comes to
Christ when we left him. But he welcomes you back today.
Sadly there will always be another Jesus Barabbas in the wings waiting to
take the place of God in our lives. If only for a few days, a few hours, or a
few moments in time. But God is patient that none should perish, and welcomes
you back. Just hours after the crowd yelled “crucify him,” and released
Barabbas, another thief, this one on the cross next to Jesus, recognized him and
was saved. And now is in paradise, heaven forever. Jesus Barabbas came that
close to Jesus Christ too, and won the election, but lost his life. He went
free, but never changed. Jesus Christ changes lives, has he changed yours? Or
are you seeking alternate Jesus’s, seeking your way rather than God’s? Do you
live for the moment, or live forever?
So why do you we try to figure out God, when we can just trust him, and be
out enjoying life? He reminds us his thoughts are not our thoughts, but they
can be. It is our choice, Jesus or Barabbas? Lust or love? Power or luxury.
You see even the power of a 454 V-8 is controlled by the right foot. Pedal to
the metal brings immediate results, unleashes power. But when sitting at idle
produces the same fuel economy as the motor in a Pinto, zero. What we do with
the power God offers is up to us. I want a God who performs, who does it his
way. Who doesn’t call me for advice, but to who I can go to, even after I
messed up, and he forgives and welcomes me. My performance may be slow, his is
always on time. Never late, and he never hurried. There is a substitute for
cubic inches, but not for the real Jesus. Consider Jesus Christ today when you
seek help, advice, and guidance. One Jesus took life, the crowd considered that
power. The true Jesus, the Christ shed his blood and gives life. Displaced,
but never replaced. Love, now that’s powerful.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com