Going to Penske’s track in Bloomington to see the National Truck Show, big
trucks, like semis, Pete’s, Kenworth’s, Macks. and Jimmie’s, I was almost
overwhelmed by all the smells of grease, f big tires, and of real trucks.
Trucks as a kid and now an adult I had seen on the highways of America, and now
I could see them up close. Bigger in real life as I stood next to them, my
heart was pounding, and began to beat even faster when someone noted the Duel
truck was here. And suddenly it was right in back of me, and like a kid I ran
after it. Ever since seeing the movie Duel, I had been enamored by the truck,
one of the scariest movies ever, about a man being chased by a semi trying to
kill him. I won’t tell you the ending, but it is scary. And here was the
truck, or one of the ones from the film. It smelled, it looked, and felt bad as
I walked around it, just touching it to see if it was really real. It was.
Maybe one of the highlights of my adult life, meeting Duel, but also going back
to one night in Colorado, and almost meeting Duel. On a dark desert
highway...
We were going to La Junta for a job interview, traveling in our
Rabbit. It was dark over the prairie, and keeping at 55 to avoid another
meeting with the Colorado Highway Patrol, we were almost alone on the two lane
road. When suddenly a truck was coming up on us fast, blinding us with his high
beams, and them riding our bumper, at one time all we could see was grill as our
interior was lit up with his lights. Slowing down we hoped he would pass, but
he held onto us, then accelerating to 80 hoping to lose him. Still on our
bumper, we went faster, and so did he, while looking for a place in the dark to
pull over. Now 160 is a two lane road with no shoulders, and from what we could
see a ditch and desert. Praying furiously and scared for our lives, we held on,
until I found a place I thought I could trust, and pulled over into the dirt,
skidding to a stop, as this Duel nemesis went speeding past laying on his air
horn. All we could think of was the movie, and every truck that came up on us
that night filled us with fear. Was that guy nuts, on drugs, or really out to
kill someone? This 75 mile stretch of road with no towns was the perfect place
as no one would ever find us for days. But as we calmed down, we began to thank
God for his mercy. We had been involved in a trial by fire, and escaped
unscathed, except for a lot of fear. But we had also found that God was with
us, showing us as we looked back that he had everything under control. If he
had wanted us dead, we would be, but his will be done. Not Duel’s. That was
the truck I was looking at when it all came flooding back to me, seeing it in
the movies is one thing, when it happens to you, it is much different. With God
writing a script no Hollywood film could ever duplicate. I know, we’ve been
there. Trust me, the movie is scary enough, do not attempt this ever on an
highway. Particularly a dark desert highway...
Paul wrote that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance
character, and character hope. Which is nice afterwards, but scary when
happening. No one thinks “wow what a great character building exercise” when
threatened, but we first choose our own understanding. Which leads us astray,
or from trusting God. Now we know God will work things out for our benefit, and
helps build a hope that does not disappoint. We can see how in the
circumstances as we trust, we are becoming more like him. We can see more
clearly Jesus as he goes to the cross, and on the cross. We can appreciate if
even a little bit more the agony he withstood, but for many it ends there. Game
over, we win. Until we are tested, and wonder what God is up to? We forget the
empty tomb, our promise of resurrection, we only remember our agony and not the
one Jesus endured for us. We fail to see that God is purifying us, something we
cannot do ourselves. We may wash up after a hard day in the dirt, maybe even
unwind from a stressful one, but we cannot purify our own spirit. In all cases
we try to get as clean as possible, but left up to our own sense of clean, we
fail. It is only the blood go Jesus that can clean us from sin. When we repent
and turn from our sin, and turn to him, he will forgive us and purify us from
all our sins. Just as soap can clean physical dirt, it takes the spirit to
clean spiritual dirt from us. We cannot do it alone, but yet we try. When
tempted we must turn to him in prayer and then obey. Follow the leading of the
spirit, lest we fall. For just like the Duel truck that night, Satan is a
roaring lion looking for who he can destroy. Even just to get our minds off
Jesus for a moment bring him glee, but he can threaten, but not consume. We
have the spirit of the Lord living in us, and as scripture tells us, no body can
contain both good and evil, for one will rule over the other. That day on the
cross Satan felt a victory but when the tomb was found empty, the victory of
Jesus was evident. Not even death could hold him, nor will it hold us.
So it is only by his provision that we are purified. Why we
need to repent, not for salvation again, but because we get dirty in this world,
and purification is a process. Jesus saves and he left us his spirit to guide,
counsel, and protect us. When our mirror is filled with the enemy breathing
down our back, he is with us. Even the shadow in the valley of death, the image
of fear, he is with us. Producing in us character that reveals his truth.
Proving when in Christ, we can do all things. When we come to the point of no
return, remember he is returning for us. For his bride, the church, the
believers in him who are saved. But for now and until that day, we are being
purified for heaven. We cannot enter a perfect place without being first
purified, as God is pure. We could all use some character building.....
So the day I met Duel and the night we met Duel are two
different occurrences. When the screen came alive that afternoon I ran to see
the truck, but when Jesus came alive in me, I ran no more. No more fear, as
perfect love casts out all fear. Even on a dark desert highway, Jesus is with
you. The devil may gain, but he can never overtake those that belong to Jesus.
In life we study for a test to pass then forget, in real life we don’t get to
study. His hope never disappoints, even if all we can do is yell “HELP!” And
to those who claim God is their co-pilot, a word to the wise. Move over, let
him be pilot. Another example of how Jesus saves. Aren’t you glad he
does?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com