It is that time of year when families traditionally take a vacation. We all need to take some time off. What do you have planned for your summer vacation? It’s not just once a year that we need a vacation, we need rest every week. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Ahhhhh, summertime, brings back memories of when I was a kid. We ruled the world, went where we wanted, when we wanted and stayed as long as we wanted. As long as we had our bikes we were free. No school, no homework, free to do anything we wanted. For me growing up vacation time was the entire summer. I lived in a neighborhood with enough kids that there was always something going on. We had enough kids to play baseball, you could always find someone and something to do.
I do remember some of the summertime trips we took as a family, similar to those you have seen recorded in the movies. We would head north to Vermont to visit relatives and we had a lot of them! I enjoy remembering those trips. I went to one of my most memorable races on one of those trips, a race at Catamount Speedway.
I wonder how many of you have plans to take a rest, to step out of the routine and recharge your batteries. It is something that is necessary. In fact, God commanded it. He said we need to do it every week.
Our racing calendar is full in the summertime. That is the time we have to race. But it struck me that if we don’t take time to get away and recharge our batteries we won’t have the energy we need to continue. We need to take some time away from racing and rest. I think you would be surprised how much it changes your perspective on things.
Did you know that God created us with a need to take a break once in a while and rest? In Scripture, it is called a Sabbath, from the Hebrew sabbat. Our word sabbatical comes from it and it means to rest, to take a break from labor.
The reality is we all forget that we need to stop and rest. We get so involved in things we don’t see how they could continue if we took some time off. They will and if you don’t rest you will not be around long enough to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Balance is the key and when we balance our work with our rest we live life to the fullest.
When God created the world He did it in six days and on the seventh day he rested. God, the creator of everything, the one who possesses all power and authority, the one who breathes life into each one of us, rested. That speaks volumes to us about the necessity of resting, taking a break from our labor and changing our focus. If God rested, we need to rest also.
Racing isn’t resting, racing isn’t a diversion from our full-time job it is a second full-time job. Most of the racers I know burn the candle at both ends. They work hard at enjoying racing. The rest I am talking about is different. It is a purposeful time that you stop and enjoy all that God has created for us. A time when we adjust our minds from thinking about all we have to do and think about all we have been able to do. I think if we have lost one thing as a society it is the art of rest. We have forgotten that at the beginning of it all rest was a cornerstone of life, God created us that way.
Do you remember Sundays that we used to have? If you are a certain age you will remember the stores being closed, everything was shut down and you spent the day with family, many times around the dinner table. I remember some places even forbid cars to be driven on Sunday. Today one of the few things closed on Sunday is Chick-fil-a. I long for the simpler days when the world stopped on Sunday.
Let us look at a couple of Scriptures that will help us know the importance God places on rest.
Genesis 2:2-3, By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Exodus 20:8-11, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
The concept of a Sabbath has been confused throughout the years by man. This column is not long enough to explore all the various arguments for what is allowed and what is not. Jesus said on the Sabbath we should be about doing good and our activity should reflect our acknowledgement of God and the blessings He has provided for us.
When we do that we start to understand that life doesn’t revolve around us, life revolves around the creator of life, God. We start to see that we don’t have to do everything; it is alright to let some things go undone. We are free from the pressure of the world to acquire things. We can pursue the things that really matter, our relationship with God and those who love us.
We try to provide that opportunity at the track for you, chapel service. It provides a time to rest and reflect on God. It can do wonders for your perspective if you let it. We know the race day is busy and many things need to get done, but trust me on this, if you take the time to honor God, He will honor your commitment and your day. He will change your perspective for the good. Trust God and let him help you through the challenge of raceday, try attending chapel.
We don’t always have the luxury to have a consistent Sabbath day and that’s okay if you don’t use that as an excuse to not have one at all. The concept of taking time to rest and focus on things outside ourselves can take place at any time and in any place. If you haven’t taken time to rest and reflect this week yet, do it now.
At the next opportunity stop, remove yourself from the distractions around you and talk to God, just like he was sitting beside you. Share your thoughts with Him, ask for His help with the things that are on your heart. Let Him know how much you depend on Him to get through life. Ask Him for forgiveness for the things you didn’t quite get right. Rest in His comfort and mercy.
I encourage you to experience the freedom of resting in God. Acknowledge His presence in your life and seek His guidance. He will not disappoint. Remember the Sabbath and set it apart from your everyday activity, rest in Jesus.
Run the race in such a way as to win, throw off everything that hinders and focus on Jesus. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.
