Garlick’s Rent a Wreck stood in Durango for many years. He would take the
older cars, spruce them up a bit and rent them, at a sizable price difference
than Hertz, Avis, and the other big boys. While sitting waiting to be rented,
they were also up for sale, just in case, Bruce was never one to miss a chance
to make a buck. But what he really was was a showman of sorts, and a Durango
tradition, at least when we lived there. My main contact with him was the once
a month gathering at his lot, where he would take a car near death that could no
longer be rented, or sold, and in a true PT Barnum display, had a mechanic climb
under the car, drain all the oil out, start the engine, and place a brick on the
accelerator, while those in attendance would make bets as to how long the engine
would run before it seized up completely. Quite a gathering would show up, even
a roach coach sometimes, while betting on the time was conducted. Not sure if
it was legal, but it was a big thing, and hundreds of dollars changed hands.
The one morning I remember most was an old 1962-63 Chevy II had the oil drained,
the engine started, and the bets made. Waiting for the final bang before death,
this old Chevy sat and sat, shook, smoked, but refused to die. For almost 15
minutes the engine roared at redline or above, the sound deafening, but refusing
to die. As the bets continued, it ran on, and finally, with a bang, it gave up
and died. The crowd applauding, those who had the 15 minute mark grabbing all
the cash, bragging on how they knew the Chevy engine wouldn’t die, and bragging
on ones they had that were the same. The show over, everyone went their way,
some to work, some to breakfast, I went home. Until the next month...
Now as weird as it may sound, there was a certain thrill in watching and
waiting for the engine to die. My experience with no oil had been a girlfriend
who drove 40 miles in her father’s Oldsmobile with the oil light on, until it
died in front of her home. Her father not impressed by her excuse or the fact
she didn’t stop. So maybe that little Chevy engine wasn’t so unusual. One time
at Mercedes Benz a woman came in, her diesel banging louder then ever, her oil
light on. Her “should I turn it off?” was met with a resounding “NO?” and a tech
poured nine quarts of oil into an engine that held eight, it quieted down, she
paid the bill and drove off. We sing at church about keeping oil in our lamps
to keep them burning, yet we fail to acknowledge the light that comes on just
before death of an engine. Might be a lesson in that, maybe that is why God has
no warning lights, we would just ignore them anyway....
We all like to be entertained, from sports to movies to racing, it is all a
spectator sport. Just like Garlick used to blow up cars, we found we couldn’t
look away, and were disappointed when the car finally gave up. Over the years
in many churches I have been part of, or gave an audience to so called
entertainment, I call it such because it did keep your interest, but many times
would distort the will for God for entertainment purposes, just to draw a crowd,
or to gain attention to itself. God does not draw attention to himself, but his
spirit draws us to him, as no man made act can do. For instance, one night I
attended a faith healer with some friends, Brother Ivy, who would cast out
demons, heal the sick, and tell the future, all in God’s name, and afterwards he
was invited over for coffee to visit with us. A short man, greasy hair slicked
back, two tone shoes, and the traditional double knit suit, he was the center of
attention at the home of my friend. It seemed he still had some spunk left in
him after his stage histrionics, his theatrical show now put on for a private
audience. After continued yelling, God isn’t deaf, so why yell at us, he had us
stand in a circle and was going to give us the holy spirit. As he pushed on the
ones in the circle, they fell or sat, supposedly by the spirit, then he pushed
me. And I pushed him back, setting him on his but, looking up at me with great
surprise. I knew God’s touch, this wasn’t it, and he was revealed for what the
was, a performer, using the name of God. He may have believed what he was doing
was Godly, but without a sound, he got up and left after I pushed back. No
words, no explanation, no healing power as he advertised. He was exposed and
left....
Jesus healed people in many ways. One time it was mud in your eye, another
just touching his robe. One man had enough faith Jesus didn’t even go to his
daughter, he healed her from a distance. All without much showmanship, for he
was all about giving glory to his father, he was just obeying orders. But like
the blind man was asked after receiving his sight, “I don’t know if he is good
or bad, all I know was I was blind and now I can see.” And the others who knew
him saw the change in him. It was all about Jesus, no screaming, no theatrics,
no showmanship. It was about the power of the holy spirit changing lives, not
us. But working through us, we get to see him in a way the others don’t. It is
the spirit who gives life, as when I had open heart surgery and my aorta
exploded, afterwards my surgeon, not a Christian man, told me “it was evident
God intervened.” It was the spirit that gave life, so no man can take the
credit. Yet some still line up like we did at Garlick’s waiting for the end,
waiting to be entertained, but missing out on the movement of the spirit in our
lives. We want the emotional trip, but the spirit goes deeper, where no words
can explain. For the things of God are infinite, unlike the finite life of an
engine without oil. So Jesus tells us to keep oil in our lamps, the oil
representing his spirit, to keep us alive and ready. To give us life, should
our real life adventure not show up on the dipstick. His oil is real, spiritual
in nature, and needs to be checked, which is why we continually need to seek
him. If you are living based on emotions, your heart will deceive you, no pun
intended in my case.
Is church boring, your Bible reading not as exciting? Do you need the feel
to be entertained as many churches now have concerts, shows, and events to bring
in the flock? Feeling empty after a night out, you need Jesus. Kings and
kingdoms, sports teams, celebrities will all fade away. Cars get old and worn
out, so does our body. But without the oil in the form of the holy spirit, we
have no life. While some speak of quantity, Jesus talks of quality. We are
only here for a short time, only God knows how long. You may be the engine
without oil, the brick on the gas pedal roaring at high speed, feeling pretty
good, then one helicopter ride changes it all. The spirit gives life, it
doesn’t sell it, pedal or peddle it, or negotiate for it. Jesus is the life,
without him we are on borrowed time.
Church may be just another Sunday morning, like the Saturdays at Garlick’s,
and when the show was over, we all went our separate ways. Make Jesus a 7 day
event, don’t wait till Sunday for what you need and can have today. Jesus is
open now and waiting patiently for you, to fill your oil back, to give you his
spirit. Only he who is God can do the things of God, no man can substitute for
your salvation. Your healing. Your success. Without him it is just pedal to
the metal until the light comes on and you seize up. All in an instant...we are
changed in the twinkling of an eye by Christ, we die in the same twinkling of an
eye without him. Only God will honor his warranty of eternal life in
Jesus.
Like the ad says “pay me now or pay me later.” Jesus paid it all for us
years ago. In that instant you are facing death and danger, you will go into
your survival mode first, make yours Jesus now. And when trouble strikes, you
won’t be pushed around by showmanship, you will not be entertained for a
morning. The faithful showed up at Garlick’s on time, they knew what to
expect. Do you know what to expect from Jesus? Just remember, he has an encore
coming second to none, it is called resurrection, I have a seat for it, do you?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com