HE WAS PRAYING, NOT TALKING!

 

Stephanie and I are NASCAR fans. I am typically a CHEVY guy on race day, but I love the personalities of NASCAR especially those within the NASCAR FAMILY that are centered on their faith. The prayer before the events, the reverence in the crowd during those prayers is special to me. The FAITH in NASCAR is no more evident than with JOE GIBBS RACING. Coach Gibbs is a man filled with faith. I love his winning attitude and how he wears his faith on his sleeve. So last night when Chase Briscoe wins the Southern 500, I see Chase kneeling beside his car in prayer, I see the joy when his son joins him, then his wife. That is why I love NASCAR. Sure there have been the "bad ones" through the years, people who are NOT filled with faith, but NASCAR, in general, has always been a sport that was unafraid to make a STAND FOR JESUS.

So, last night at the end of the race, the cameras cut away to Coach Gibbs obviously PRAYING with his team, PRAISING GOD, after the win, I was distraught by the announcers description. As the camera focused on the HUDDLE of PRAYER, the announcer, Leigh Duffy, says, 

"And there is Coach Gibbs TALKING to his team like he does after ever race!" 

I SAID WHAT? I know Leigh is new to NASCAR racing, but COME ON, this is COACH GIBBS. He is NOT talking to his team, HE IS PRAISING GOD FOR HIS BLESSING. I was shocked and greatly disappointed in Leigh's description. This whitewashing of prayer, the ignoring CHASE bowing to the LORD after his victory is sad. 

God is not surprised by this. It has been happening for thousands of years. Even his own pride and joy, ISRAEL, stumbled and left him:

"For Jerusalem will stumble, and Judah will fall, because they speak out against the Lord and refuse to obey him. They provoke him to his face. The very look on their faces gives them away. They display their sin like the people of Sodom and don't even try to hide it. They are doomed! They have brought destruction upon themselves." (Isaiah 3:8-9, NLT)

This world is becoming much more vocal against the LORD. Even if Leigh really didn't know what Coach Gibbs was doing, it just stands out as a sign of how disconnected our society is becoming, disconnected from the LORD. AND when Christians see this we can almost feel hopeless swimming in an ocean of sin surrounded by a faithless society. But, take heart. Listen to what Isaiah says in verse 10:

"Tell the goldy that all will be well for them. They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned! But the wicked are doomed, for they will get exactly what they deserve." (Isaiah 3:10, NLT)

Keep the FAITH COACH GIBBS. Keep on praying CHASE BRISCOE. The same can be said to the faithful in our community. Even when it seems the world has completely turned against us, keep the faith. Keep loving. Keep sharing. Keep spreading the GOOD NEWS that Jesus Christ is Lord. You are not living you life in vain. God will richly reward you! 

Heavenly Father, I praise you for men like Coach Gibbs and his race team that are UNAFRAID to make a stand in a hostile world. Lord, please give me that kind of boldness, that kind of love, that kind of heart, that I will publicly proclaim your name from the mountain tops. Please give my church, give my local faith community, that same kind of boldness. I love you Lord! Amen!