Geared for Christ

I was slipping on a 46 tooth rear sprocket on the bike to keep the torque a bit higher for Jennings, when I took time to think about how each one of those shiny teeth slipped perfectly in between the links of that dirty chain. If you think about it, we as Christians, are kinda like the teeth on that sprocket. We are a completely different shape from the round pins within the chain links, yet that chain, for all of it’s potential strength to pull our bikes upwards of 15 thousand rpms, is completely useless unless the polished triangles of the sprocket teeth engage those links. Each individual tooth, needs to mate up with a link. How interesting that God gives each of us different personalities and strengths, trials we have endured and the wisdom and insight from those trials, so that we also, might connect, or link up, with bros who are hurting, anxious, or fearful.

I have been praying for a local friend named Kris who is a leader among the central Florida stunt teams. He has a great heart and dynamic personality, but with all his energy, without God in his life, the show ends, the excitement of the event passes, and both the crowd and the stunters go home to their private and painful struggles. I went to his stunt show the other day in Daytona Beach, quietly asking God to change his heart. And as I sat on the curb with everyone else while the stunters gathered to begin their runs, Kris grabs his trademark megaphone, and calls to the crowd, “hey could you guys hold it down for a second, I’d like to ask this man to pray for our riders.” I almost fell off the curb! I met with the five guys who were going to perform, along with Kris, and reminded them that they were designed with noble hearts to be leaders and role models to the masses of young men who look up to them, and lack fathers to mentor them. Then we said a short prayer. The show was great, and afterwards, three of the guys came up to say thanks and talk about how much those words meant to them.

From there it was off to the Oasis Church in Ormond Beach that has a strong men’s group and they like sportbikes. 40 men learned how to enter and exit life’s most difficult curves, trusting in Christ our Savior when no one else would stand with them. The next week one of the 17 year old young men from this very group was killed in a horrific car crash, I was invited back for his funeral this past Saturday, and, to a church filled with hundreds of his friends and family, reminded them that our inability to see beyond this life, does not negate the fact that a life so glorious awaits us, that even this present tragedy is not worthy to be compared to that existence which our eyes have not yet seen. Two young people accepted Christ as their Savior during that service, and many more took their first steps towards faith.

That chain looks so different from that sprocket, but they fit together so perfectly, and as we engage the world, it may seem awkward, kinda like we wont fit into that tight spot where God is calling us, but we will. I sat down at Paneras with a young man that wanted to take his life because he lost his job, his girl, and was carrying so much pain from both of his parents molesting him. (his mom is now a convicted sex offender). But somewhere between that café sandwich and bowl of soup, he found hope. The next day he witnessed a tragic collision involving an SUV and a bike. He alone, when everyone else gawked and hollered into their cell phones, cradled the rider until he no longer felt a pulse. I got an e-mail from him yesterday, it simply said, “forever in your debt.” I to, am forever in debt, to the One who turns the gears, and gives power to the sprocket to bring the life that gets that chain going, and moves us all towards His glory.

Art Lohman