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I like listening to Christian contemporary music as I’m driving. Sometimes I go Country, but most of the time I’ve got the praise songs “celebrating Jesus” as I tap the steering wheel with my thumbs.
As I was driving in the midst of the morning rush hour to the office the other day, I was listening to a song on my car radio by a group called The Robbie Seay Band. The group was singing a song about “how awesome and marvelous is your name, Jesus.” I was into it. The floorboard was helping my left foot be the percussion. You know how it is—life is good, Jesus is Lord, His name be praised.
Then I noticed a guy coming up behind me and starting to try to pass me on the right at a point where the right lane was about to merge with the left. I hit the gas pedal a little more, while maintaining the same rhythm with the music. When we got to a point where the right lane came back again, the car on my tail whipped around and sped past me. A few names to describe him flowed from my mind to my lips. Why do people drive like this? “How beautiful, how awesome is your name, Jesus” I heard to the band sing.
We got to the next light about a mile later and Mr. Speedy was a whole two cars in front of me. I asked him if it was worth it. He didn’t hear me, because I whispered it, with my window closed, from two cars back. New song—We magnify your name, O Lord!
A Buick in mint condition from the 60’s with a lady driving it who looks a little over 120 in age is in front of me going so slow I think she’s in reverse. My shoulders tense up as I realize I’m stuck behind her for at least ten additional seconds before I can change lanes. Worthy is the Lord comes out of my speakers
A high-performance car zooms past me in the midst of a school zone. If there’s one thing I can’t stand its school zone-busters. I salivate just thinking about the possibility of a patrol car pulling him over. Praise the name of Jesus.
About the time I arrived at the office the duplicity of my thoughts and actions hit me. I had road rage while listening to praise music. That’s kind of like eating healthy food while smoking a cigarette; or paying tuition, room and board to a university, but not going to class.
I’m acutely aware of the periods of my life when my practices are not in line with my thoughts. I sing praises while being annoyed that the world doesn’t revolve around me. I pray while sipping coffee and mentally complaining about the weakness of the drink. I read scripture and am irritated by the sticky substance that someone has spilled on my desk.
The oft-used saying is “practice what you preach.” I must go way past that point. I’m trying to get to the point of having God shape my thoughts, and then the practice of them is an authentic expression of who I’m proclaiming is my Lord.
Singing praises while wishing for revenge is where I’m at too often. Maybe I should switch over to Country for a few minutes—at least until I pass the Buick.
William Wolfe
Pastor
Highland Park Baptist Church
Colorado Springs, CO |
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-Read past thoughts-
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