TOO HEAVY TO WIN THE RACE

All my life I have been a "hot rodder" at heart.

I grew up in the 1940's and 50's.  That was back

when we took the fenders, hood and anything else

that was not needed off our old cars.

Why?

It was excess weight that would slow us down if

we were in a race - legal or other wise.  So, most

of my life my cars at least did not have extras on

them and all of my motorcycles have been stripped

down ready for a race.

Believe it or not, that is the attitude that God wants

us to have toward life.  The race of life that God

has set before us.  Consider;

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such 

a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, 

let us strip off every weight that slows us down,

 especially the sin that so easily trips us up. 

 And let us run with endurance the race God 

has set before us."

(Hebrews 12:1 NLT)

Or consider the apostle Paul and his attitude 

about keeping the Jewish law or the accumulating 

of worldly goods.

"I once thought these things were valuable,

but now I consider them worthless because

of what Christ has done.  Yes, everything else

is worthless when compared with the infinite

value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For

his sake I have discarded everything else, 

counting it all as garbage so that I could gain 

Christ and become one with him." 

(Philippians 3:7,8 NLT)

In another place Paul said;  

"So if we have enough food and clothing,

let us be content."  

(1 Timothy 6:8 NLT)

The more time, effort and expense we spend

in accumulating the things of the world, the

more weight we add to our lives slowing us

down in the race of life that really counts.  

That would be the reason that Jesus Christ

himself said;  

"Don't store up treasures here on earth,

where moths eat them and rust destroys them,

and where thieves break in and steal.  Store

your treasures in heaven, where moths and 

rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break

in and steal.  Wherever your treasure is, there

the desires of your heart will also be."  

(Matthew  6:19 - 21 NLT)

LEARNING FROM MOTORCYCLES

When it comes to motorcycles, we do not all like the

same thing. You are glad of that. Right? Otherwise

everyone would want one like yours.

Years ago I bought an old Honda Goldwing with the

intended purpose of stripping it down. The reasons at

this point are not important. I call it my Hebrews 12:1

Motorcycle.

It started off looking like the motorcycle below. Many

people just love it that way. But to my self it looks too

much like a moving van coming down the road.

It was stripped down in stages. About the first week end I had it, I took of the barn door in front. Both linen closets on the sides. And the kitchen sink off the back.

That was a loss of 71 lbs the first week end. It went into the next stage as my work bike for many years.

But that still was not were I wanted it. Being retired now and not needing it for work every day it could be stripped further. The Lord helped my get it to the point of the picture below. It's almost were I want it. Some more
to go, or you could say it is still under

construction.

Why is it my Hebrews 12:1 motorcycle?

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud

of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin

which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance

the race that is set before us, "

-Hebrews 12:1 RSV

I want all "the dead weight" off the motorcycle. The less weight, the faster. Or if you prefer, less dead weight burns less gas.

Now you may never get your motorcycle into a race.

But if you are a Christian you are in a race. AND, the Lord wants us to remove all the dead weight from

our lives. For us dead weight comes in many forms.

In our day the Lord's comment comes as a real warning.

"but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches,

and the desire for other things, enter in and choke

the word, and it proves unfruitful."

-Mark 4:19 RSV

Cares, riches, desires all can become weight that

holds us back, presses us down and makes us lose

the race.

Like the motorcycle above. We will always be under

construction in this life. The Lord is shaping us up

for himself. But if we are serious about living for

Christ, it is up to us to remove the dead weight

from our lives.