A old adage says “you can’t go home again,” but at least you can go back.
And that was part of the last 26 day ride we took, to go back to Durango, and
ride out on our motorcycle. On my last visit I ended up being life flighted to
Albuquerque and having open heart surgery, this time it was by motorcycle coming
and going. It was only 4 years, we had lived there in the seventies, when it
was an old western town, described as quaint, even a t-shirt sold at the time
said “Durango is what America was.” Working for Coca Cola I knew most of the
businesses, and it was hard to walk Main Avenue without seeing someone you knew,
and even strangers said hi. A seemingly great place to live, I was about to see
how it and I had changed.
In 1978 ony one road came in from the south and east, today a four laner
has replaced it, the old road with old businesses you have to be looking for to
find. Shopping malls and even a Walmart dot the new road, along with car
dealerships. Was I in Durango? I had been away so long I hardly knew the
place, maybe a trip down Main Avenue would renew the memories. Jim Paris Tire
City was gone, now a mini mall selling yogurt. French Hardware was gone, a
coffee house. The radio station where we held our Snowdown meetings was now a
trendy restaurant. Francisco’s, once the premier restaurant in town was closed,
Francis kept the building, the new owners didn’t have Francis’ flair for cooking
and it went bust. Now it held another t shirt shop, and some clothing, which
will be gone by end of summer. Gone also were the Chief, the old diner in the
railroad car, Town House, where Manny the owner also cooked for the jail.
Durango Music, where Jim Rockelmann and his family before him sold instruments,
records, and anything electric was gone, now a welcome center. Strangely enough
the girl at the information desk knew nothing of Jim or his family. I found out
you can’t go home again, but you can go back.
So many of the old buildings were gone, and replaced with new style new
buildings, that ruined the image. Eating dinner with an old friend who has been
there for 40 years, we agreed not all the changes were for the better. Durango
was now a town who was looking for an identity, who was stuck between yuppie
fusion restaurants, and The Ore House, selling steaks. Only the train remained,
as it has for over 120 years...but now cost more to ride than I made a day back
then. Somewhere in the years that had passed, Durango lost its way, outside
money from Texas and California had taken over, and the old was made new, like
Disneyland. Maybe a sanitized environment, where you can still eat at Sambo’s,
if you are old school, but never leave Cali or Texas urban areas and not feel
threatened. But as George Harrison reminded us “All Things Must Pass,” and
Durango is and was. But so had I....
When we are saved we instantly become a new creature in Christ. The spirit
becomes available to us, and we are told to work out our salvation daily through
fear and trembling. Work out, I thought it was a gift? It is, but like missing
one day of rehab took three to catch up, even though salvation is instant, we
need daily contact with God to grow in him. Paul asked the Christians in
Ephesus, who he knew were saved, but also something different about them “did
you receive the holy spirit when you believed?” There was no joy or peace, no
patience, or goodness. Meekness was a foreign term, so where was Jesus in their
lives? They had gotten away from the fact they once believed by faith, and a
certain expectancy of what Jesus would do, but it was gone. The believing had
ceased, and they had gone back to their old ways, or like in Durango’s case,
newer ways still looking. And had lost their identity in Christ. There was no
freshness, no vitality, no desire to see God in their lives, they were saved,
yet not in the spirit, their lack of fruit displayed for all to see.
Is your walk one of sterility, deadness, and dullness due to being
religious? The spirit offers the way back, and is the way back. Jesus hasn’t
changed, we have. We become seduced by power and money, and soon forget about
who saved us, knowing the king, just not benefitting from his kingdom. And so
this story shows us how we need Jesus daily in our lives, how we need to work
out in the spirit, and live the life he promises. We need to exercise that
continual faith that saved us, and see it grow into a trusting relationship.
Where the fruit of the spirit is evident, that the something people look for is
really a someone, and his name is Jesus. And we can be like him! There is a
fullness and a freshness to a spirit filled life, and it is available to all, so
what are you waiting for? Turn to Jesus, ask him to guide you, then let him.
Be sensitive to the spirit and see things through God’s eyes. And experience
blessings you have been missing, and become a true witness of Jesus Christ.
We had great expectations of our trip to Durango, and were disappointed at
first. The town had changed, but so had we. The new heart of today saw and
reflected, and reminded me of just how far I had come in the Lord. I was young
and just starting out when we left, we returned older and wiser, retired and
restful. In the spirit. So as you have received Christ, also live in him. If
your best memories are from years ago, you are missing out on today. It’s
funny, how I didn’t recognize the town, but then no one recognized me either.
Just two faces and we talked, and we both agreed, we didn’t want to go back, we
had done our time. Look ahead to Jesus by turning to the spirit now, why wait?
And you too will some day look back and see how you’ve been away so long you
hardly knew the place has taken you farther than you ever realized. In the
sprit. New memories start today....can you handle them? The parking meters
should have been my first clue.......
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com