Today I want to talk a bit about the Daytona 500 NASCAR race. The Daytona 500 kicks off the racing season and is one of the most important races of the year. Winning it is very prestigious for both the driver and the sponsors. As I watched the race, it struck me how similar racing and our lives can be in many ways.
Just like Daytona 500 drivers aim to win the race and cross the finish line, our lives are similar in that we set personal goals and strive to reach our own finish lines.
At the start of the race, drivers wait for the drop of the green flag that signals them to go. All of them are competing for the same thing, sharing the same goals. Just like in life, we find ourselves in a race among many others with similar ambitions, hoping to reach our goals before they do. I suppose that’s why we call it the rat race.
The drivers speed off, looping around the track, and before you know it, they’re right back where they began. They’re driving in circles, but with each lap, they inch closer to the ultimate goal. Life often feels the same… revisiting the same places over and over. We glance around and think no progress has been made because we’ve returned to the start. Yet progress has happened; we’ve gained knowledge and experience on the track. Step by step, lap by lap, we move toward crossing that finish line.
Race car drivers have a race manager who communicates with them via radio. The manager has an overview of the entire track, while the drivers can only see what’s right in front of them. Through speakers in their helmets, drivers hear their manager’s voice giving updates on track conditions, tips to avoid an accident ahead, or advice on getting the best performance from their cars. While racing, drivers can ask for guidance about what’s coming up, and with that advice, they can make the right moves. In the same way, as we run the rat race of life, we have a race Manager—God—who sees the big picture when we can only see what’s immediately before us. God guides us around life’s obstacles, and as long as we follow His direction, we stay safe and keep running our race.
In any NASCAR race, there comes a moment when the car needs servicing and refueling. Sometimes new tires are added, and adjustments are made to help it run better—these moments are called pit stops. Life works much the same way; as we run our own rat race, we all need a pit stop now and then. We need to be refueled, maybe get new “tires” for better traction, or make adjustments to help us run a better race. Our race manager might guide us to take that break to be renewed. For many of us, that renewal starts at church—a great place to recharge and prepare for the next leg of the race. And just like in NASCAR, we often need multiple pit stops to make it to the finish line.
With a full tank of gas, fresh tires, and some quick pit stop adjustments, the drivers continue the race. As the laps tick down and we cross the familiar start line again, the white flag waves—only one lap to go. A few years ago, at the Daytona 500, a driver was rounding the last corner of the final lap and was in the lead. But just before the finish line, a slight bump to his rear sent him sliding into the wall. His car flipped onto its roof, skidding upside down, when suddenly another car struck him, sending it rolling over and over until it finally came to a stop. The finish line was in sight, but he never crossed it.
I think of our lives like this: we’re rounding the last corner and can see the finish line ahead. With God’s help, we’ve run a strong, determined race. Now, there it is—the goal in sight. That’s when we start to feel like we’ve got everything under control. Life’s going smoothly, so we tell ourselves we don’t need our race manager anymore. We stop listening to God and take over completely, convinced we can make it on our own without His help.
Suddenly, there’s a tap from behind. We lose control and slam into a wall—crash! Our lives flip onto the roof, everything upside down. As we slide along, something else hits us, tossing us over and over until we finally come to a stop. We reach for the radio to call the race manager, but the radio is dead. The good news is the Race Manager (God) saw the crash and already has help on the way. Lying there in the wreckage, we think… the finish line was so close. What went wrong? And then we ask, why God, did you let me crash? Why did you let this happen? Why me, God? Why?
We often blame God for the things that happen to us. It’s easier to point fingers and hold someone else, even God, responsible when life goes wrong. What we really need is to take a hard look at our lives and our relationship with Him. In this race, we took control, forgot about God, and ended up crashing.
So, have you ever hit a wall in the rat race of life? We all stumble and crash at times. The good news is that God is always there to gather the pieces. No matter how big or small, or how many there are, He can mend them all. Through His grace, we can find forgiveness, guidance, happiness, and love.
My friend rest assured, Jesus is your race manager, always listening for you every second of the day. His race radio is always on. If you’ve lost communication with God, or never had a personal relationship with Jesus, there’s no better time than now to connect with Him.
Take a moment to pray—tell God you believe His Son, Jesus, paid for your sins and rose from the dead. Let Him know you’re sorry and want to live for Him. He will forgive your sins and mistakes, give you eternal life with Him, and place His Spirit within your heart. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” and Romans 10:9 tells us, ”that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;“
Please ask God to become your race Manager! I Pray we all may be able to say “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7
May God Bless!
Bob
I thank you for reading my blog. I do not claim to be any expert or affiliated with any religious organization. All I can say is that I’m affiliated with my Lord Jesus Christ. This is one man’s opinion and observation. My hope is I stirred up some thoughts for you to think about. There is one place that we can find all the answers to life. That road map is Commonly known as the Bible. If you want the answers to life all you have to do is read. If you would like me to pray with you or want to send a comment please email me at Bob.L@magnificentpromises.com or the form below.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
