Filling up my Tiger at $3.45/gallon here in rip off California, my mind
drifted back to just a few weeks ago when I was filling up outside the state for
a dollar less. It pains me to see us pay too much for the same product, and
then not be able to go anywhere because the roads are so jammed. But while
pumping I reflected on a time in the seventies when gas stations were closed on
Sundays. If you didn’t fill up on Saturday night, and didn’t estimate your
miles correctly on Sunday, you didn’t get back. Sure gas was cheaper, but we
thought still expensive, but when it became unavailable, suddenly the price
didn’t matter so much. Seems when you can’t have what you need or want, price
is not the biggest obstacle to overcome.....
But yet many of us wondered to the point of no return, or syphoned gas from
a buddy with a larger tank, and we always somehow got home. A minor victory,
but taking enjoyment out of the ride. Seems Sunday rides were much different
than Saturday rides, where we went wherever, whenever, and finding an open
station was no problem. But just stay out after midnight, and our rides of
choice turned into a pumpkin no one could ride in, as the fuel to make it go was
nowhere to be found. So the last conscious effort many of us made on Saturday
nights was a trip to the Sunoco, Getty, or local station and filling the tank to
the brim. Availability will win over prices every time, as we learned. And
pity the fool who didn’t fill up on Saturday night....who had to sit home while
we rode.
It seems when we want to and cannot we want to even more. Much care was
taken so we could ride, and we learned to even fill up other’s rides so they
could ride. Saturday night being the night of the date with the steady, so we
pitched in to help those in need. I don’t remember many details of the rides,
but going when we should not have, and worrying about getting home became part
of the ride. You would think I learned a lesson about filling up when I could,
but twice since I have coasted into a station, not taking into consideration the
distance between stations. Fortunately God does, and recently after returning
from our month long ride, went to fill up my T120, putting 3.9 gallons into a
3.8 tank. Miracles occur when you least expect them, talk about riding on
empty...But we had been warned about Sunday no gas rides, but went anyway.
Maybe feeling impervious to the obvious, maybe just because , “we wanna
ride...”
Scripture tells us of the final journey into Jerusalem that Jesus took,
even being warned against it, but doing his Father’s will in going. Ever feel
like that, going against advice when you know you should? But yet we see Paul in
a situation, where a man of God tells him that he will be bound in the belt like
the man bound him in to demonstrate what laid ahead. If you go you will be
bound and throw into prison. Agabus, then made one final plea to him not to go,
along with many other believers, even Luke told him don’t go. Imagine two
authors of the New Testament discussing the will of God. From opposing view
points. And Paul refused to listen, maybe even displaying a martyr’s complex.
Even the most godly of God’s chosen can fall into temptation, and go against
what the spirit says. Maybe he argued that Jesus went into Jerusalem despite
the best advice, and so he would too. With one important difference, Jesus went
in the spirit, Paul went against the spirit. Based on the testimony of many in
the spirit, he went anyway. With his friends last words, “may the will of the
Lord be done.” What else do you say when you don’t listen, don’t obey? A
double sided prayer.....
First, God it’s your problem. He won’t listen, we won’t take
responsibility for his actions. He is your problem now, we’re done with him.
Or...God may your spirit never leave him. May he repent and see you in his poor
choice. One love, one bailing out. But God never bails on us, despite our bad
decisions. When we screw up he shows us mercy, when walking in his spirit we
see his grace. Same love but to a different audience. Paul knew both, do we?
Do we check our tanks for a Sunday ride or just ride blindly? Or do you just
give up, blaming God, by saying “your will be done,” as if God doesn’t know what
he is doing. Paul like us, paid a price, rather than seek the availability of
God.
Some years ago I decided to move, found a job easily, a home, got financed
easily, but when it came time to sell our home, not one showed up for the open
house. It was afterward that a friend told us “I would have tackled you to make
you stay,” the spirit telling him so strongly. And I’m glad we did, for God did
have better plans than me. Obedience is better than sacrifice, and riding is
better than pushing the same motorcycle. Paul gives us many good examples of
how a believer should act, but here maybe we see the most important one. That
of denying the spirit and going out on our own.
In this life we will take many rides, with detours along the way that may
upset us, go against our plans. Here Paul shows us how human he was and how we
are. Check the gas and fill the oil, making sure you are in God’s will, not our
own. Two men took two different trips to Jerusalem, with similar but very
different results. Don’t cop out on God, saying “your will be done” after
making your decision, pray “thy will be done” as Jesus instructed his
disciples. Maybe the four hardest words you’ll ever pray. Don’t confuse the
two. Another example of Jesus and the road. Of course if you never wander
outside....
Or maybe like us, Paul just wanted to ride!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com