On Sunday, we were back in Daniel, looking at chapter 4. If you haven’t had a chance to watch the whole service yet, you’ll find Graham’s multi-hat reading and the sermon here: https://youtu.be/sYm733VI_e4
God sends another dream to Nebuchadnezzar offering Nebuchadnezzar the opportunity to repent of his pride and humble himself.
According to some of the big books that I have in my office many consider pride to be the essence and root of sin. Wanting to do life my way, rather than God’s way, is certainly a definition of sin that reveals a proud heart.
One of the gifts I received for my (significant) birthday this year was a Silverstone Driving Experience. So, a few weeks ago, Su and I spent a lovely day at Silverstone. We visited the museum and later in the day got to watch the end of the British Touring Car Championships on the other half of the circuit. But the highlight for me was getting to drive a Ferrari F430.
After a 20-minute safety briefing the structure of the session was: sit in the passenger seat whilst being driven round the circuit at high speed by an instructor, watching your life flash before your eyes, whilst taking in a hundred and one instructions on when to brake, accelerate and change gear. Then I got to drive four laps, and then have a bit of break whilst someone else got their introductory lap plus four laps – and then it was out again for a final four laps.
It was great fun and by the end of eight laps I was starting to get the hang of it. (If you’re interested you can watch the final lap here: https://youtu.be/LzSOBO3lqw8 )
But why am I telling you this?
Each lap I was getting a little more confident and a little bit faster, accelerating a little harder and braking a little later. But after eight laps I know I was still nowhere near the standard of the instructor. In the context of a race, we would do much better with him driving rather than me.
But when it comes to our lives, given the option of passenger seat or driver’s seat, we often choose the driver’s seat and let Jesus sit in the passenger’s seat. Even though there is an extra brake pedal on the passenger’s side (as I discovered on my first few laps) we’ve deactivated it. And even though it is difficult to tell whether the rapidly approaching corner actually goes to the left or the right we’re ignoring the instruction to brake and shift down two. In our pride we think we know best.
Obviously, this analogy (like every analogy) falls apart if pushed too far. The Christian life is not about passively sitting in the passenger seat with your eyes closed whilst Jesus drives you to the finish line. Life is not a racetrack that just goes round and round and round as you get better and better at navigating the same corners over and over again. The Christian life is not about sitting in the driving seat whilst Jesus gives you every single instruction.
But in this journey that we call life do I trust that God knows what he is doing? Or am I tempted to think that I know best and therefore I'm going to do it my way?
Grace and peace, Keith
