An Idea Whose Time Will Never Come

I was driving down the road, enjoying the wooded hillsides as the trees are just starting to show their fall color. Suddenly, I noticed the brake lights of the car in front of me flash on. In fact, all of the cars around me seemed to be slowing down. And then I saw it, off to the side of the road, a Police car.

You know the feeling. The adrenaline shoots into your system. Your heart starts pounding faster. Your right foot moves toward the brake pedal while your eyes quickly shift to the speedometer. “What is the speed limit here, anyway?” Off to the right is a sign: 45 mph. Your speed: 55 mph. “Oh no. Oh, please, don’t let him stop me…” (or something to that effect)

Fortunately for me, the flashing lights never appeared in my mirror. But as I continued toward home, I came up with a practical idea that I’m certain will never be used.

You see, I’m one of those people who actually try to obey the speed limit. The main reason I’ve never gotten a speeding ticket in 38 years of driving is that I rarely speed, and when I do, it’s even more rarely on purpose.

(Confession time: I get a perverse sense of satisfaction as I drive southbound into Dunellen on Washington Ave., tap my brakes to go from 40 to 25 mph, and imagine the frustration of the rapidly moving cars behind me as they are forced to slow down. I get an even greater and more perverse sense of satisfaction when one of them decides to zip past me on the right, only then to discover the Dunellen cop watching from down the road. I know, I preach grace and mercy, but sometimes justice can be sooooo satisfying – at least when it happens to someone else!)

Even though the signs say “Speed Limit,” we all treat them like they mean “Suggested Speed. Don’t let us catch you going more than five or ten miles per hour faster than this!”

So, here’s my idea. It’s simple, elegant, and can almost certainly be accomplished with existing technology: Install a chip in every car that receives a radio signal telling it the posted speed limit from transponders installed in every major highway. Then, program the chip such that it the car simply will not go faster than the posted speed limit!

Think of the benefits!

• Reduced traffic accidents because nobody is speeding
• Reduced fatalities from accidents, because they will happen at lower speeds
• Increased fuel economy with an enormous saving to our nation’s fuel supply, thus reducing our dependence on foreign oil
• No speeding tickets
• Reduced insurance premiums

“Ah,” you say. “But your forgetting the liabilities! People sometimes need to exceed the posted limit in order to perform emergency maneuvers.” Easily solved. Design the car’s computer so that when you floor the gas it automatically overrides the speed restriction, but only for a limited time or distance.

“But what about the towns that rely on revenue from tickets?” Come on, you’re really clutching at straws.

And the cost? Even if we only did major highways, and phased in the chips over a period of years, the benefits would more than pay for themselves.

But as I said, it will never happen. Even you probably don’t want it to happen, do you? Most people wouldn’t. Why? Because most of us believe we have a right to speed. Even if we don’t do it often, we want to know that we could. I don’t want ANYONE else to control what I do in my car.

I’ve come to believe that our sinful nature is most dramatically displayed in the mundane things we do. Things like driving, where we know the law, but think of ourselves as just slightly above the law – where we’ll cross the line just enough that we figure we won’t get caught.

And we rationalize:  “Everyone is going faster. I’m just going with the flow of traffic.” (Eve ate the fruit, why shouldn’t I? The other kids cheat on their tests, and I really need to pass this class. No one my age is a virgin – I feel like such a loser!)

One of my favorite definitions: RATIONALIZE = Rational Lies

Ultimately, sin is our innate desire to set ourselves above God. It’s demonstrated in our constant efforts to set ourselves to set ourselves above the authorities that God has placed over us.

Thanks be to God for his forgiveness, freely given in Christ Jesus.

As Christ-followers, we’re called to surrender our entire life to him. But sometimes, in order to surrender it all, we need to let go one piece at a time. So, today, let’s YIELD just a little more our lives to Christ’s control. “Jesus – take the wheel.”

Don't Give Up

I try to start every day  by reading God's Word and spending some time in prayer. While I confess that I don't always succeed in this goal, I can testify that the days I consciously begin in the presence of God are the best days in my life.

To help me get focused, I often read daily devotional guides that I receive by email. Two of my favorites are "The Upper Room," and "The Catch."

This morning's "Catch" knocked me off of my feet and onto my knees. I've copied it below, but better yet, I encourage you to go to John Fisher's website and sign up to get his free words of wisdom delivered to your inbox as well.

Blessings!
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Don’t give up

Posted on September 22, 2011 by jwfisch

“Don’t give up; please don’t give up.” Those were the words uttered in the mind of a dying man but never heard outside his head. And for 45 minutes, two flight attendants didn’t. They took turns administering CPR on the man’s heart and alternately breathing air into his lungs. 45 minutes of either futility or life support – no one knew. All they knew was, the man had had a heart attack and stopped breathing while on a flight, and the pilot had radioed the nearest airport, but it took 45 minutes to go through the whole landing procedure.

Forty-five minutes, sometimes sliding along the floor as the plane lurched upon impact. The landing was rough, but the women kept on. Sometimes tempted to quit, but never yielding. An emergency medical team met the plane in the airport, and with the proper machines, they were able to get a strong pulse and revive the man.

How do I know this? One of those flight attendants was my wife. It’s one of her most memorable moments as a flight attendant, her job when I met her. And as she and her co-worker came off the plane they were greeted by applause from the passengers who waited for them so they could show their appreciation. It was Marti’s fantasy come true. The only thing missing was the six o’clock news.

But the most remarkable thing about this story was what she found out later. She found out that the whole time they were keeping him alive, the man was semi-conscious. He could hear everything; he just couldn’t open his eyes or speak. And the whole time he kept thinking, “Don’t give up on me; please don’t give up.”

We all have spiritually resistant friends and relatives who appear, for all we know, to be spiritually dead. We might assume them to be in the category that Paul described as those who are not being saved, but are perishing. And yet how do we know for sure that they might not be only spiritually comatose – unable to speak, but still crying out from some place deep inside: “Don’t give up on me; please don’t give up.”

That’s why you never give up on anyone. Even the most resistant, obnoxious, foul-mouthed unbeliever might still be one who, deep down inside, is being saved. Don’t give up on them. Spiritually breathe for them. Right up until the very end, because you never know.

Connecting...

This message continues a series of thoughts about our Vision Statement:
“A multicultural family, growing in faith, connecting people with Christ.”

“Connecting.” It always amazes me that I can be in a room full of people, and still feel alone. You would think that living in New Jersey, the most densely populated state, everyone would be overwhelmed with friends. But the truth is, we live in one of the most lonely cultures on earth. People, people, everywhere, and not a friend to be found.

The Bible says that one of the reasons we so often feel disconnected from people is because we’re also disconnected from God. Our disobedience, selfishness, and inward focus creates a barrier between us and God. It’s a problem we call “sin.” And, since God made you specifically in order to be in a relationship with you, that sin-separation leaves us feeling lost and alone.

The good news is that God is always eager and ready to bridge that gap with the love and forgiveness that comes through Jesus. There’s nothing God wants more than to get connected with you, share the joys and hurts of your life, love you with perfect love. What’s more, when we get our lives plugged into a personal relationship with God, we are also invited into a community of Christ-followers (called the Church) where we can experience and share God’s love with other folks like us – in other words, imperfect people, loving God, and trying to live that out with one another.   More next week…!

IMPACT!

On Sunday, September 18, I'll be starting a new teaching series called IMPACT!
Check out this short video for a sneak preview.

(Please forgive the unfortunate screen shot they used to start the video. 

It looks like I'm showing off my clear braces!)

Ten Years since 9/11

Nine years ago, on the 1st anniversary of the September 11 attacks, I was honored to have the following devotion published in "The Secret Place." The words still seem relevant today, as we prepare for the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

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SCRIPTURE: Luke 14:28-33

Thought for the day: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10 (NRSV)

A year ago today, my wife and I watched, along with the rest of the nation, as terrorists destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center, only twenty miles or so from our home.  It was only later that we realized we had witnessed the deaths of two members of our congregation, along with thousands of others including those on the hijacked airliners and in the Pentegon.  Not only people died on that day.  Those towers were chosen because they represented the financial strength of our nation.  Their destruction, accomplished with such ease and at so little cost, shook the sense of security that so many had placed in the things of this world.

As the towers crumbled, I remembered a Scripture chorus we sometimes sing in worship.  “The name of the Lord is a strong tower.  The righteous run into it and they are saved.”

One year later, let’s remember that neither military might nor financial strength can make us secure – only the eternal refuge of our mighty God.

Prayer: Lord, as we remember the dead and comfort the living, help us to remember that you alone are our refuge and strength, through Jesus, our Lord.  Amen.

I encourage you to use the comments section from this blog to post your prayer requests related to 9/11