It's Bristol, Baby!

 



     "It's Bristol, Baby!" This phrase is heard every time the NASCAR circuit arrives in Thunder Valley (Bristol, TN). Why is this phrased used? In order to win a race, a driver has to "wreck" and move over other drivers to have a chance at winning. The Irwin Tools Night Race was this past weekend (August 23, 2014), and eyes were open to how racing at the Bristol Motor Speedway and our walk with Christ are the same. 
     From the 1960s to 2007, the racing groove was on the bottom of the track. From 2007 to 2012, People complained about the "new" Bristol and how it was not the same. Today, people are giving high accolades to the racing relating to the "old" Bristol, but with the racing groove towards the wall. Our walk with Christ is no different than what happened in the redesign of Bristol. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 NIV reads "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!" When we become redesigned and have accepted Christ in our lives, people will hate us. In the 15th chapter of John, Jesus states that if the world hated him that the world would hate us. Our redesign will be hated from our peers in our old life just like Bristol was from 2007-2012. 
     The preferred line at Bristol is the top groove of the racetrack. Drivers will nudge other drivers to the bottom of the racetrack to gain position. In our lives, the top groove is things in our life are going great and our walk with Christ is going strong. In the Christian world, we like to call that the "Mountaintop Experience". Jesus never promised that our cross would not be heavy. In this world, we have an enemy named Satan. Satan's goal is described in  John 10:10a (NIV), "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." Just like drivers trying to pass another driver by sending them to the bottom, or the valley, Satan will do with our life. Satan will try to get us to backslide and not experience life to the fullest with Christ, but it our job to stand firm because Jesus offers greater than what Satan offers. Satan will remind you of your past failures and guilt, but Jesus is saying to us that the shame and guilt that we are receiving has been covered by His blood poured out for us on Calvary. It is for us to not lose hope and cling to Jesus. 
     Tire fall-off at Bristol is high. That means that the tires lose their grip and speed as a race runs on. If the tires fall off too much before you change them, the tire will go flat. In our lives as Christians, we go to conferences and we get what is called a "spiritual high." After some time, that high goes away, and people live their lives like normal. Christian Conferences are meant to challenge you, and they are meant to make that fire you have for Jesus even bigger or start that fire for God in your life. Jeremiah 15:16 (NIV) says "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty." The world will not change when the people of God lose their fire for Him and His word. 
    At Bristol, everyone feels entitled to their position on the racing surface, and if something goes wrong, they complain. That is just like people in leadership today. We are in an era of "entitlement". Everyone is entitled to everything. Leaders will do anything to self promote and self protect themselves. Jesus should be the standard of leading others. Philippians 2 is a beautiful description of the humility of Christ and why he came to this world. Jesus did not take any titles, but he did take up towels. He sought out every opportunity to serve others. Matthew 20:28 (NIV), "just as the son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." The world will change when us as Christians follow the example and leadership of Jesus. 

CW


*below are some images found on the internet from Bristol