My friend John used to have a very fast car, made from the choicest speed
equipment money could buy, or that he could borrow. Disguised as a blue 2 door
Chevelle, this 1967 family sedan with skinny white walls prowled the streets of
our area for awhile. Even looking at it from the rear, in this day of GTO’s,
SS396’s, GTX and Road Runners, Boss Mustangs, and 442’s, it showed off its
single exhaust, when dual exhausts meant power. Stock looking from every angle,
it was the car to beat, as under its hood was a race engine, a back up engine
from a drag racer. No one was really sure about engine size, as the hood was
kept locked and without the obligatory hood pins popular at the time. The only
clue was from the motor that idled funny, almost like it was about to stall at
times. But when the light turned green, this 3 on the tree family car shut down
the competition. Many out of town cars were embarrassed, and soon the word was
to look out for this 4 door sleeper. But it was never raced for pinks or for
cash, just winning the race and seeing the look of embarrassment on the
opponents face was enough. I rode in it a few times, never in a race though,
and it was fast, the cost of admission a fill up with Sunoco 260, draining my
wallet of almost $4.00 while filling the tank with race gas from the pump. It
was fast, but one night at the track its weakness was discovered.
Running in a stock modified class, it had once run in the low tens, fast at
the time, and John was heading there that night. We were all excited to see
just what it would do, and he had a great hole shot, had almost a car length on
his lane mate, then missed the first to second shift, finishing way behind and
running in the 15 second range. All that power came down to who was doing the
driving, and one missed shift was to become its legacy. Not much was seen of it
afterwards, and no one dared ask “what’ll she do?” for those of us there that
night knew. You are only as good as your record, and the record that night was
of first loser. The car was just as fast, and whoever inherited it probably
knew that, but that one night is how we remember it. All the other wins meant
nothing after that, and it faded into history, probably more of a legend in
Jersey, until the next fast sleeper was born.
We discussed the age old question of what came first, the chicken or the
egg? Without fail our group answered the chicken, and based on scripture they
were correct. God created all the creatures great and small, then commanded
them to go forth and multiply, advice still given today to newlyweds. Sadly the
only book where you never find sex before marriage is in the dictionary, as they
practice the procedure before entering the race. But from the eggs we get a new
generation, and each new generation has a basis on an older one. Like ham and
eggs, alone they are OK, but together they make a meal. And one Mordecai Ham,
an evangelist almost one hundred years ago exists today as an important
historical man in the life of one man who shaped generations, and still has an
impact today. Bill Graham was a young man when he heard Mordecai preach the
gospel, and when it touched his heart, he gave it over to Jesus. The eggs of
hope that Ham had sewn when mixed with the holy spirit had created in Billy a
new creature, and he was born again. And his impact as evangelist, diplomat,
advisor to presidents, and his seed of Anne and Franklin carry on today. One
egg of ham, when fertilized by the spirit, gave birth to others, and today his
crusades still fill stadiums, and in only a few minutes he can share the gospel
with thousands responding. Much like the sleeper Chevelle, the power of the
gospel was found to be patient, waiting for the right moment, and when needed,
gives all the power you need. But also like the Chevelle, in the wrong hands it
has no effect, and is only words. It takes the spirit to drive it, and when
spirit driven we see lives changed. And it works through people like Mordecai
Ham and others, who have a place in our salvation, who take the time to share
Jesus with us. Nothing special about us, it is the message of hope that Jesus
saves and forgives we share. No special preaching, no fanfare needed, only the
spirit moving on our lives, giving us a choice to make, life in Jesus or death
and hell. You may be fast and quick, have it all together, but like John found
out when tested, one missed shift will follow you forever. And you will only be
remembered for what you did, becoming who you are. Mordecai shared Jesus with
Billy, after someone shared with him. And he passes it on, do you? Remember
the first time you heard, are you still excited? Do you share that excitement
today? Or are you still known as the fast car that lost when the flag dropped,
who missed one shift and came in second? Are you powered by the spirit? Does
your life reflect Christ and his love, or are hiding it all under the hood, your
reputation louder than your actions? Is there anything about your daily life
that would cause you to be accused of being a Christian? Are you ham and eggs,
or eggs and ham, putting the eggs first, reversing the order. I wonder if Billy
ever wondered what eggs would be like without Ham?
We are only as strong as our weakest link, ourselves. But we find all we
need in Christ, and in meekness, getting his power of love to the ground, we see
lives changed. Through us, but by his spirit. Some cars look fast, some sound
fast, some are sleepers. When the flag drops and the competition is the
toughest, who do you turn to? Billy turned to Ham, who turned him to Jesus.
Never will ham and eggs be the same.
When we were created God placed in us an appetite for him that nothing but
the spirit can satisfy. Eggs alone and ham alone aren’t a meal. It takes the
spirit to satisfy, the perfect meal when the hunger no longer exists, where we
are filled with the spirit, and will never hunger or thirst again. One
Samaritan woman at the well can testify to that water. And Billy can testify
because of the Ham. Getting more religion and feeling less filled? Maybe a new
diet of Jesus and his spirit is all you need. The seeds have been planted, now
let God provide the growth. The chicken came first, then the egg. But in the
beginning it was the spirit that gave the earth its shape. If your life is
unfulfilled, maybe a plate of Ham and eggs is all you need. Over easy, or even
scrambled, Jesus will feed you to overflowing.
Something to consider when the flag drops, one missed shift can change your
whole life, one decision for Christ will rescue it. Father, son, and holy
spirit, the only names in the race of humans you ever need to know. You may
stumble over the chicken and the egg, but never forget Jesus came first, he
created both the chicken and the egg. And will be with us forever. Now about
that omelette....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com