Dodge Ramcharger and the Gospel?

 A few months back I became the proud owner of a 1984 Dodge Ramcharger. It may not be much to look at but it's my tank and I love driving it. It's full on strong, heavy Detroit steel, It has a roll bar, a big front push bumper, and when I turn the hubs and put it in 4 wheel drive it's unstoppable. I guess what I'm trying to say is although it lacks the modern safety conveniences, I feel safe and secure driving it around town.

 Like most older vehicles there are things that have long given up and no longer work. The back hatch won't stay up, the passenger side window doesn't work, the speedometer no longer works, and no matter how many times I reset the clock, it won't stay in time. So I leave with plenty of time to get where I'm going and just keep up with traffic to gage how fast I'm going, driving around looking out the huge windows, enjoying the beautiful area God has placed me in.

 Then one day I realized that my Ramcharger is a perfect picture of how I live in the Gospel (stay with me I'll explain). The Tank is just like I am, ruff around the edges, broken and in need of constant loving care, but just like the body of Christ, once inside I'm safe from what the world has to throw at me and He constantly gives me the loving care that I need. Jesus said that no one knows the time he'll return but God the Father, so what is time to me? I just move along, working diligently, trusting that if I steward my time well, I'll get to where I'm going on time and ready at moment's notice. If I do the same in my Christian life I'll be ready when the day comes that I die, or Jesus returns. The speedometer is one of the best parts though, because it's not how fast I go, or how hard that I work, I'll get there. My salvation is the same way, because it's not how fast or how hard I work that seals my salvation, It depends on the work already done by Christ on the Cross and because he is faithful I'll get there.

 Jesus' sacrifice was perfect and my soul is saved because of it. I'm safe inside Him because He is strong. I love Him, so I work for God's Kingdom because He loved me first and sacrificed everything for me. I love and care for the people around me, because He continues to love and care for me. When I think about the way He loves me and all he has done for me I am comforted and feel like I'm living in a bubble, and just like the big push bumper on the front of the Ramcharger, he has given me the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower me to push through anything.

 So I drive my truck like I live my Christian life. Safe and secure in the Body of Christ, and my salvation. I keep my eyes focused on the Heavenly prize that awaits me, but at the same time giving thanks to God for the things around me.

 Philippians 1:21 Paul says," For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." and like my Ramcharger my physical body is just a vessel to get where I'm going.  I think that if we all look at our lives that way we be comforted and rejoice in the bubble God has placed in.

Jason