Chaplain's Prayer
“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20 NIV
In a few weeks we will have our first 2008 SEVWA race. It is a time of great anticipation and excitement. Unfortunately this year it will also be a time of sadness. This will be the first VW race in a long time that Terry Cornatzer will not be able to attend. Terry went home on February 9th. In 1996 the very first VW race that Belinda and I were involved with as race chaplains was the IVWA Spring Nationals on April 14, 1996. There were five people at that first service. Belinda and myself, Stephen Wolfe and his wife Angie . . . and Terry. That would not be the last time we would see Terry at a service we conducted. Terry became a friend to us and to most anybody else who ever raced a VW. Terry always had a smile for you each time you saw him at a race. I often joked that when our Karmann Ghia “grew up” it wanted to be like the one that Terry built and he and David raced in Pro Gas (Super Pro today). While Terry will not be with us in person . . . his smile will always be with me. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Andrea, David and Meredith as well as anybody who knew and miss Terry.
Rick and Belinda Laws
Second Chances Racing Ministry
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” (John 3:14 New American Standard Bible)
You know the verse “for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son . . .” As that blimp flew overhead I thought about Jesus being lifted up. I know that is a strange thing to think of while viewing Snoopy in the air! But that is what came to my mind. I hope it comes to yours as well. . . best to each of you as we hit the home stretch!
Rick and Belinda Laws
Second Chances Racing Ministry (secondchancesvw@hotmail.com)
“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” And some of the Pharisees called to him (Jesus) from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19: 38-40 New King James Version)
Wow, April almost here already!!?? I say it almost every year about this time, “where has the year gone already??” Great to get back in action in Reynolds, Georgia. At the Church I attend in Wilkesboro we do a lot of songs that are more up tempo with the children on Wednesday nights. One song is “Ain’t no Rock” . . . it goes “Ain’t no rock gonna cry in my place . . . as long as I’m alive I’m gonna praise His holy name.” I think that song is based on the verse above from the Gospel of Luke. I use that verse in this devotional because we will be at Farmington racing on Palm Sunday. That is the Sunday before the arrest, trial, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection that take place from about Wednesday to Sunday the following week. On Palm Sunday many sing praises to Jesus as he rides in on that donkey. Many of those same people scream “crucify him, crucify him” just a few days later. Jesus tells the Pharisees as he rides into town that IF the people do not praise him the very rocks will. I hope that as you approach the Easter season you will take time to praise Him. Look forward to seeing you at “The Farm” and if there is anything we can do for you then or any other time this season please let us know.
Rick and Belinda Laws
Second Chances Racing Ministry
336-984-7306
“But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law” Galatians 4:4 (New Living Translation)
Time . . . how often do we think of time? Think about drag racing. Before I raced, street cars running 10 to 12 seconds in the 1/8th mile were SOOOO BORING to watch going down the track! It is amazing how much FASTER that 12 seconds goes by when you are racing than when you are spectating!! It is like a sign I saw once at a country story on the outside of the rest rooms. “Just a minute depends on which side of the door you are on!” We live and die by reaction times and how close we are to our dial in without breaking out. We marvel at “total packages” of .007 seconds.
Time . . . the verse above may not seem like a verse one would think about at Christmas time. Yet think about it . . . the God of history intervenes in human affairs “when the right time came.” Jesus is born into the “Pax Romana” or the Peace of Rome. The world is the safest it has been in hundreds of years. The Romans built 53,000 miles of roads that were relatively safe to travel. The Good News of Jesus came into the world at “just the right time.” Jesus is born of a woman (Mary) and subject to the law, the same law every human before had been since the law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The same law every human after Jesus will be subject to. The only difference is Jesus did what nobody else could do, fulfill the law. We celebrate the entrance of God incarnate this month. God of history, God of all time. As you get ready to celebrate Christmas and maybe, just maybe get that transaxle or two-step or new slicks you hope are left under the tree . . . thank God that he sent Jesus “at just the right time”.
Rick and Belinda Laws
Second Chances Racing Ministry
PS . . . hope to see many of you at Greensboro in January or at Reynolds in March!!
July 2006
“As he passed by, He saw Levi sitting in the tax booth and he said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed him.” Mark 2:14 (NASB)
One simple line . . . “follow me!” Jesus earlier said the same thing to two sets of brothers (Andrew and Peter, James and John) . . . all five men simply quit what they were doing (Fishing/collecting taxes) and did as Jesus asked. In Jewish life a young man would study the Torah until a certain age. If he had mastered his subject well, he was encouraged to further study in the Prophets and the Writings. IF he did not do well, the young man was told to go home and learn his father’s trade. Apparently James and John had heard those words earlier in life. We are told their father was also a fisherman. Andrew, Peter, James, John and Levi (Matthew) had all yearned to hear those words from their Rabbi’s earlier in their life . . . “come follow me” . . . what they heard instead was go home and learn the trade of your father. That is why these men were so excited to hear those two words from Jesus. Levi in particular gave up a lot. He apparently left his tax collector’s booth (with all the money!) and followed Jesus. Rome will not hire him back. The Jews hate him for selling out to Rome. These five men, along with the other seven Jesus chose literally changed their world. How much are you doing to change yours? Can you hear it? . . . . “Come follow me?”
Hope to see you at Rockingham August 6th or Piedmont August 20th! Wow, hard to believe another year has come and gone so quickly. If you have prayer requests or other needs feel free to email us at secondchancesvw@hotmail.com.
Rick and Belinda Laws Second Chances Racing Ministry
March/ April 2006
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where the laid him. But go tell his disciples AND PETER, He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ Mark 16:6-7 NIV
I am writing this a couple of days after Easter. The above account of the resurrection of Jesus deals with three women (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, probably also the mother/half-brother of Jesus and Salome) coming to finish the burial of Jesus by anointing his body with spices and perfumes. They did not have time to finish this after his death on Friday due to the fact that the Sabbath was rapidly approaching. A Jew was forbidden to touch a dead body on the Jewish Sabbath. The entire account takes place in Mark 16:1-8
When they get there, they are surprised by several things. First, that the heavy stone has been rolled away, second by the young man dressed in white (probably an angel) but most of all by the resurrection of Jesus. In fact verse eight tells us of how they ran away “trembling and bewildered” and said nothing to anyone. It is also significant that the young man tells them “but go tell his disciples AND PETER.” In the four Gospel accounts of the resurrection of Jesus, Mark is the ONLY GOSPEL to say this. The rest simply say “go tell the Apostles” or “go tell the eleven” (Judas Iscariot has already committed suicide at this point in the story.)
Why does only Mark tell us this? We must remember, according to Church Tradition that Mark’s Gospel is written by a young man named John Mark, who records his account of Jesus AS TOLD TO HIM BY PETER. Mark’s Gospel also does not tell us that when Jesus walked on water, so did Peter, if only for a few seconds, as the Gospel of Matthew does. Peter in all Gospel accounts denies he has ever known Jesus. If you have seen the news recently, a “new” Gospel has been found, one that paints Judas as the hero of the story, not the goat if you will. While most all scholars agree this is written in probably the second or third century and will never carry the same weight as Matthew, Luke, John or in this case Mark, to me it does raise an interesting point. I do think history has been unkind to Judas. BOTH Judas AND Peter in their own way betray Jesus. And both are later apologetic. HOWEVER, they do not repent to the same people. Judas goes to the Jewish leaders, throws the money down and repents for betraying innocent blood. They could care less, they have what they want, Jesus arrested and on his way to the cross. HAD Judas repented to Jesus he COULD HAVE and probably would have been forgiven. Peter in John’s Gospel Chapter 21 gets three chances to proclaim his love for Jesus just as three times he had earlier denied even knowing him.
Jesus himself in John 8:7 tells the men who are ready to stone the woman caught in the very act of adultery “if any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Let’s not be to quick to judge either Judas or Peter. Both had the same chance to correct their earlier mistake, one did and the other did not. We can all be a Peter, a Judas or one wanting to throw a stone at both men. What will you do?
Rick and Belinda Laws
Second Chances Racing Ministry
January/February 2006
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 NIV
As the new year is upon us I hope this devotional finds you well rested and ready to begin the 2006 season. I know I am ready to get going! Still not ready to race yet, but hope to be there by Farmington in April. I wanted to address the verse above with a few thoughts. St. Francis of Assisi once said “preach the Gospel always, and IF NECESSARY USE WORDS” (Emphasis added). Think about that for a minute. We often want to preach the Gospel with words, and if necessary live like a Christian. Mahatma Gandhi also once said “I would be a Christian . . . were it NOT for the Christians.” Whether at work, school, church or even the race track do I live in such a way that someone else would look at me and be curious about this thing called Christianity because of me? Or would they say “no way, if that is what being a Christian is I want no part or it!” I certainly hope that would not be the case. Even if not ready to race I look forward to being in Reynolds, Ga for the season opener. Look me up and let’s go racing!
Rick and Belinda Laws
Second Chances Racing Ministry
PS . . . on Saturday January 14th 2006 my mom Bobbie Laws went home to be with the Lord. She struggled for several years with multiple sclerosis (MS). Keep my father, sister and brother-in-law, aunts and uncles as well as Belinda and I in your prayers. Donations can be made to further research for a cure to MS or to help children in any way. My mom ran an in-home daycare for several years and tried to apply “in word and deed” to help the many children she kept over the years.