How many of you were like me in school, trying not to fall asleep, but
pretending to take notes. Really drawing some of the best designed cars ever.
Fast cars, customizing Muscle cars, and pretending to be out road testing them
instead of trying to stay awake. But looking back, I cannot remember ever
drawing any interiors, the place where we would spend all of our real time when
not dreaming. I have always been in awe of the interior designers, and from my
1949 Ford F-3 to our 2015 ford Mustang, things have definitely changed. From
basic info like speed and how much gas till empty, to now miles per gallon till
empty, road speed, and too many engine functions I can’t even understand. But
one part of the interior stands out over the years, the ashtray. At one time a
society of inhalers, the ashtray was the most functional part of the interior.
And grew to lavish proportions in Lincolns and Cadillacs. Fancy pull out dual
ashtrays with dual lighters, even on my 1950 Buick one in the back of the front
seat. How many arms rested on closed ash trays in the back when kids, and had
to inhale the second hand smoke. Ashtrays were the most basic ingredient to
interiors, until over the years we became more socially conscious, and quit
smoking in cars. To today, where there are no lighters or ash trays, but you
can order a smoker’s package with both. With the lighter filling the spot where
you can plug in your phone charger. A receptacle like a cup placed in your cup
holder. The new thing that interior designers must deal with...
Back in the eighties when we all decided we needed a Big Gulp to get us
home, we bought aftermarket cup holders. I remember the ones on Mercedes Benz,
screwed into the door panel, and when they stripped out, replacing it with a
bigger screw, ultimately leaving a ruined door panel with holes in it. But
designers caught on, and today in some SUV’s you can find as many as twelve,
when they only hold seven people. Room for a back up Big Gulp, whose dimensions
were a key component in the sizing of the holder. No word if 7-11 gets a
residual on each one...But today you must have too many cupholders, while little
attention is paid to driving. Turn on the DVD screen, hand the kids a drink,and
you can talk on your cell phone uninterrupted, until a motorcycle comes into
your path, causing you to actually drive and hopefully avoiding me. To be
honest, more safe miles were driven in class than on all the roads we drove
of....
In case you haven’t been paying attention, we have become a compulsive
society. A narrow focused one, with us in the center. Years ago we took basic
Christian courses about who was on the throne, us or Jesus, identifying us as
carnal Christians when taking over the drivers seat. As I watch so many
believers today doing the same thing, they limit their blessings, while
portraying a different Jesus than the Bible. Jesus himself addressed this, with
little response from his disciples. It took the author of Ephesians to point it
out, and I wonder how many of you Bible students caught it. God refers to the
sword of the spirit, seen on so many shirts but not in too many hearts. There
are two words used here, one logos, the entire word of God, all of Jesus who is
the word, and rhema, a special application given by the spirit when needed. The
sword of the spirit. Ever been amazed at how you have just the right words
sometimes, or like me having them override your theology? that is the rhema,
the spirit intervening for us as needed. When saved we are given this gift of
the spirit, but too many times we take control via self, denying the spirit.
The more time we spent reading and not necessarily studying, we find the spirit
revealing the mysteries of Christ to us, and taking us deeper than our thoughts
could by themselves. Some study to find themselves approved, some follow the
spirit. I am not against study, but just study for study’s sake. for when we
study to pass the test, we forget what we studied afterwards, it is on to
something else. If only we let the spirit intervene as he wants to....
The spirit of God brings these things to our attention so we can take it,
heed it, and obey it. For where his spirit is there is liberty! Those of us
who used to dream in school and think outside of the box were prime candidates
for this rhema, as our minds were not centered on learning, but more on
application. Our minds were overflowing with ideas, and education only brought
us what it knew and wanted us to know, the spirit gives us more, and insight to
it. From ashtrays to cupholders engineers were designing to meet a need, while
being stylish at the same time. Which explains such ill placed cupholders as
the ones in the 210 E class, right above the electronic shifter, that would quit
working when latte added, even by accident. And not a warranty issue, as poor
design is not a malfunction of the part. Human error which over rides design
error. Or how many other ill placed cup holders or ashtrays were forced upon
us? No more room, they had to be placed somewhere, didn’t they? If only the
spirit had led their designing of them...
Fortunately God has designs for our lives, expressed via the rhema he
provides. It is this rhema that makes Jesus personal, that erodes the education
and religion most think is Christianity. It is when Jesus’ spirit is alive in
us we can do things that can only be expressed as supernatural in origin, from a
loving God just for us at that moment. Sometimes so personal they go beyond
words, and without the spirit’s guidance would appear foolish. Yet it is the
fool who denies there is a God.....When God designed us he had a perfect plan in
mind for us, unique to each one of us. Tap into his rhema today and discover
it. Some dream while others create. But without the spirit to guide, we end up
with broken ashtrays and too many cup holders. Or designs like our doodles that
never leave the page, and are resumed the next time the class meets. Rhema can
be the weapon we need, or it can be the cause of our peace. The sword described
is not a big sword like on the trendy Christian t-shirts, but a scapple, a
specialized tool, for an exact purpose. Used to do a specific job. Tune into
him today, and watch as your relationship in Christ grows.
We have a whole generation of kids who never have seen an ashtray, I
wonder, when they do, will their Big Gulp fit? I’ll bet they would notice ashes
in their cup....only in the spirit will they ever know the difference. And now
you do too...I hope you weren’t doodling while reading this...if you were I
understand.
And why you should never see a cupholder on a motorcycle!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com