Chaplain's Corner!

I recently heard a quote from a famous race car driver that goes something like this, "Racing is life, everything else is just waiting." To a certain extent it seems we're always in a phase of waiting. Waiting for the weekend, for a paycheck, for vacation, for a holiday, for my wife, for the next race and of late for it to stop raining so we can practice. But to say racing is life, like it's all that matters, could be hurtful towards another person. Are we ever so driven by selfish endeavors that those around us are only second best?

The real danger here is that God is placed on a shelf. For some people a relationship with God may not even enter their minds. Some may think that God doesn't care, or like the deist, that God got the ball started, but then left life to chance. There was a popular Christian song 30 years ago titled," He's Everything To Me", that addressed this thought. Part of it went like this, "In the stars His handiwork I see, On the wind He speaks with majesty, Though He ruleth over land and sea, What is that to me? 'Til by faith I met Him face to face. And I felt the wonder of His grace. Then I knew that He was more than just a God who didn't care, Who lived away out there, and now He walks beside me day by day."

Is this true about the God of the Bible? As I write this on the July 4th weekend, I am reminded of our nation's founders who believed so strongly in the providence of God. The Bible itself says in Acts 17:25-31,"He gives all men life and breath and everything else, He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live, so that they would seek Him, and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. That He has commanded all people everywhere to repent, for there is a day of judgment coming by Jesus." Why repent? Because we have ignored and disobeyed this loving and merciful God. Repentance is the turning towards God for forgiveness for our shortcomings. He wants us to seek Him. The forgiveness of our sin has been provided by the bloodshed and death of Jesus, who is resurrected and will some day ask each one of us if we knew Him. Seek Him now for He is near.

When it comes to what we should be waiting for, Hebrews 9:28 says,"So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.

Our condolences to Dave Larson and his family in the passing of his father Earl, who lived life to its full and was a true Karter.

Chaplain Ken