Labor Day has its roots in Blue Collar America. The holiday began during the Industrial Revolution. Workers faced harsh conditions like 12-hour workdays and unsafe factories. Labor unions organized rallies and strikes to demand fair pay and safer work. The first U.S. Labor Day parade took place in New York City on September 5, 1882. President Grover Cleveland made it an official federal holiday in 1894.

Labor Day has lost some significance in recent times. It used to be that schools didn’t start until after the holiday. August for the most part was a time for spending on holiday. In fact, in Europe, most companies shut down for August. In America, the manufacturing sector would shut down for the first two weeks of August. Well, I think it is time we get back to some old-fashioned tradition and let Labor Day end summer as it traditionally did, one last Red, White and Blue celebration!

The Word of God isn’t silent on the need for hard work and the need for rest.

Colossians 3:23-24; ESV, Whatever you do, work heartily, (with all your heart), as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

This past week brought to mind some of the modified racing families I know that have worked hard to attain success, blue collar racers. The biggest stage of which was Daytona where a kid from Modified roots and blue-collar work ethic reached the top of the ladder. His grandpa was Bob Judkins and modified racing ran through his veins. Even though he has reached the top division of Stock Car racing, The Cup Series, he hasn’t forgotten how to get his hands dirty. He is found frequently under his own racecar turning wrenches.

A couple cool things about Ryan Preece, He drives his own Motorcoach, and his family is by his side. There are a couple pictures floating around from Victory Lane in Daytona, one of Ryan, Heather, their children and the family dog. Another one of a boy and his dad, framing the trophy. Won through hard work and determination. I am reminded of another picture taken several years ago at New Smyrna Speedway, a few miles south of Daytona; a young Ryan Preece, his Grandpa Bob Junkins and the famed 2x. The Judkins/Preece family knows hard work and are up to the task. Labor Day is a celebration for those who labor.

We shift our focus North, to the historic Jersey Shore oval; Wall Stadium. Last Saturday night the scene was set to remember a legendary racer, John Blewett III. John left us all too soon and he is remembered as a racer’s racer. The event was the John Blewett III Memorial 176. The Blewett’s; Grandpa, John Jr., John III, Jimmy and now James are blue collar racers. From Blewett’s Junkyard to the track where they worked hard and competed against the best in Modified racing.

As things go sometimes, the winner of the John Blewett III Memorial brings our minds to another Northeast Short-track, Riverhead, and another working-class racing family, the Solomito’s. Timmy “The Natural” Solomito took home the trophy on this special night. One hard-working racing family to another. If you hear the name Blewett you think of Wall Stadium, if you hear the name Solomito you think of Riverhead. You also think of Modified racing. 

As we reflect on this past weekend that gave us so many reminders of what hard work can do, let us also remember those who labor for our benefit. On this Labor Day we can remember the grit and determination, the working-class spirit that never gives up, the effort put forth for our benefit. Let us celebrate the Red, White and Blue collar that built this country.

Galatians 6:9; ESV; And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up

Perseverance and endurance are traits of those who have hope. That hope allows them to focus on the victory, pressing on for the prize that lays before us. Paul put it this way;

Philippians 3:14-15; ESV; Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

We press on, straining forward for what lies ahead. Our focus can be wrong, we can be caught looking back at what we missed and lamenting, but that won’t win the prize. We must forget what is behind and look forward. Nothing describes the hard-working folks that I know more than that. 

Forgetting doesn’t mean not learning, we can and must learn from our past and then press forward with a focus on what lies ahead. The lessons learned shape the decisions that bring us success in the days to come. God Word says to renew our mind so we can know God’s will. If we refuse to learn from the past we are doomed to repeat it. If it didn’t work the first time, then what makes us think it will work the second?

Endurance is another subject that we need to address if we are talking about labor. What are we able to endure for the benefit of the future? Someone came before us and laid the road that we walk on. I am sure it wasn’t easy and there were times they wanted to give up. They didn’t, not for their benefit but for ours. 

The question comes to mind, what are we willing to endure for the benefit of those who come behind us? Christ was willing to endure the cross, not for His benefit, but for ours. Think about who paved the way for our success? Think about who we can help with our perseverance and endurance. Press on for the prize! Remember, it is not always for our benefit that we do it, it is for the benefit of those who come behind us. 

In Hebrews 11 the writer talks about those who died before seeing the promise, they remained faithful even when it was clear they were only paving the road for the next generation. The stage was set for Christ by those who prophesied about His coming. They labored for us, to help us recognize it when He came. We need to do the same for those who will come behind us. 

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 help us continue this ministry. Thank You.

We always look back at the races and events we experience with a filter. Many times we remember the good times, they become bigger than life. Yes, we remember the disappointments, but soon they are replaced with the memories of better results, better days, and those victories we achieved along the way.

Autumn is a time where we can enjoy the harvest, sit back and reflect on the race we have run. Paul wrote to Timothy in the autumn of his years;

2Timothy 4:7; I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

What does it mean to fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith? Those answers are different for all of us. Each one of us has been uniquely created by God. Each one of us has a unique path to walk, prepared by God. Each one of us has unique challenges to overcome with victory.

Look around at the splendor of God’s creation. I have seen over sixty autumns in my years and not one has been the same, each one is unique. Not only for the timing and the changing of the landscape, but each autumn I look back on a different race I have run.

No two races are the same. No race can be predicted before it is run. We have seen many surprising results. Even when we watch a winner cross the finish line that doesn’t mean the race is over. Results change, lives change and until the seasons change we cannot look back and count the race won.

God has an order to things in this world and he reveals that to us if we take the time to look. Paul shared with us the order of things, battles to fight, races to finish, faith to keep.

When we hit the racetrack we are there to run the race but in that, there are many fights to face. First is the setup, practice and getting that right. Then there is qualifying. Then there is the race and the battles that take place as you move to the front. Do we face those fights with the right perspective? Do we look at each battle as one to be won the right way, the way that would please God?

Did we finish the race? How many races have we failed to finish? For whatever reason we drop out, we don’t have the perseverance to finish. That may be because we didn’t fight the battle in the right way. We may have kept ourselves from finishing because of the way we fought the fight.

I have seen many a contender take himself out of the race by trying to get even with another competitor. Fighting a good fight is important, finishing the race the right way is imperative. We cannot finish the right way if we do not run in such a way as to win. Are we looking toward finishing or just fighting the battle? 

I have seen many that have won the battle and lost the war. God asked us to look at the big picture. He asks us to let the little things go and focus on finishing the race in a way that honors Him. That means keeping the faith. 

Therein lies the key, keep the faith. Paul explains that in every battle, in every race there is one overarching goal, keep the faith. Faith in God, not faith in our own abilities. We will not win every race, but each race will have an end, it will finish. We can finish every race with victory if our focus is on God. 

We will not win every battle, but we can fight the good fight. In the end we need to maintain our faith in God and know that He is the one that determines if our efforts are honorable. He determines if we are worthy of the prize.

Knowing that God has a master plan that will lead us to the most abundant life is something to have faith in. Even when we don’t understand what is happening at the moment, we need to trust that God does and has our best interest in mind. Sometimes losing the race is better for us than winning. Win or lose we can always fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith.

Romans 8:28; And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

As autumn rolls in, where do we find ourselves? Can we look back on the season past and say we have fought the good fight? Can we say we have finished the race? Have we kept the faith? 

Seasons change and the next season will be here soon enough and the challenges of this season will soon be but a memory. What will be said of us? What will be said of our efforts? Who will people say we served, ourselves or God?

Let me encourage you, there is time to take your life in a different direction. If you look back and you don’t see actions and words that honor God he will forgive you. He has made a provision for that through Jesus Christ. Make a commitment now to receive that forgiveness and move forward in a way that will show your faith in God.

As we prepare for the next race? We can take the right steps to get ready to fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith. We can do it all to the glory and honor of God.

Romans 8b-10; NLT; And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

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.

Work is an interesting word; it means far more than just the job we do to collect a paycheck to support our life. We have to work at everything we do. When we think about it, anything worth having or doing takes work. What do we work at in life?

Most racers have two “jobs”. They have the one that keeps them fed and the one that prepares them to race. I have heard the familiar refrain many times, work all day, then work all night in the shop on the racecar. Racers work hard to be prepared to enjoy a day at the track. Raceday is a lot of work also. Blessed are the ones whose work is racing. The ones who have one job, race. All their work is focused on what they enjoy, racing. That doesn’t mean there isn’t work involved.

What do we work at? Anyone have a home? Maintaining a home is work. You can tell the difference between a house that is cared for and one that is not. Work involves caring for something, having our heart in it. It is easy to identify a half-hearted effort. 

Think about some of the things you work at. Character is one of the personal things we work hardest at. Kindness, gentleness, peace, joy, love, grace, mercy, self-control, patience; the list goes on. There is work to be done for all of us. 

It is said if you work at something you have a passion for, you’ll never work a day in your life. Even if our work is focused on something we have a passion for that doesn’t mean it is easy or without sacrifice. Having a passion for something just means we are willing to work all the more harder to accomplish something. We are willing to make more of a sacrifice and put in more of an effort; more than the average person would. Passion helps us overcome the obstacles that would stop some.

When we hear the term Passion what comes to mind? A while back Mel Gibson produced a film with that title, The Passion of the Christ. It sought to reveal the lengths that Christ was willing to go to restore our relationship with God. God passionately pursued us with the goal of providing a way for us to restore our relationship with Him. Christ performed that work on the cross.

There are seven phrases that are attributed to Christ on the cross;

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34) 

“Today, you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43) 

“Woman, behold your son: behold your mother” (John 19:26-27) 

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

“I thirst” (John 19:28) 

“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46)

“It is finished” (John 19:30) 

Each phrase revealed things necessary in our relationships; forgiveness, grace, responsibility, sacrifice, nourishment, dependance and follow-through. I won’t cover them today, but look for them this Winter as they will be the subject of our winter Bible Study.

When Christ uttered the words, “It is finished” He completed the work of the cross, a provision was made for our forgiveness. Through Christ’s work on the cross our relationship with God could be restored. He made the sacrifice for us, something he was passionate about. Without that passion it would have been difficult to endure the pain and suffering he did to finish the work.

We have the opportunity to respond to the work Christ accomplished for us, work we could not do ourselves. Paul put it this way;

Ephesians 2:8-10; God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

We can accept and believe the work of Christ, his death and God raising him from the grave. We cannot earn it; our work isn’t sufficient to cover our debt. It is by Grace, unmerited favor, that God extends to us. Our response is to receive it. When we do, our work for God begins. Notice the last verse; do good things God planned for us long ago.

Even God has a to-do list for each of us. I know that doesn’t sound like a blessing, but it is. Our passion to please God is ignited and the feeling of accomplishment is second to none. The reward for doing the things God has planned for us is a satisfaction and fulfilment we can’t attain anywhere else. A peace that passes understanding. 

Everything that is valuable is worth working for. Christ accomplished the work of the cross so that we would have hope, so that our relationship with God could be restored. His work on the cross made it possible for us to dwell with God for eternity.

When we receive it, the gift God provided, we submit our lives to Him. We allow Him to guide us, shape us and mold us into a reflection of His character. We develop a passion to please Him.

That effort will produce fruit. The benefit of our following Christ is for others to also know the peace and joy of a restored relationship with their creator. God’s desire is for all to know Him and come to him.

I am reminded of the words of David as he concluded the 23^rd Psalm;

Psalm 23:6; NLT; Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

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.