Bogus Car Wash

Greetings Lifers,


Only 17 days left before we celebrate the first coming of our Savior Jesus Christ – are you psyched or what? (Note here that I didn’t inquire as to your preparations for gifts and family and whatnot, which are nice appendages to the season we find ourselves in (like extras in a movie) but certainly not the overall point – not even close really. May Jesus be on the billboard of our hearts, our leading (God) man, now and always). I am finishing up another work week here (mine starts on Saturday and runs through Thursday after lunch, FYI) with this here missive. So, since I usually draw from my life experience to point out some minute but important theological idea, I thought I’d go ahead and do it again here. But before I do, a quick prayer request – Bay Life Academy has some unique opportunities to expand their ministry that hinge on the decisions made this Monday night at a county meeting. Would pray that God would work through the regulators present to provide His plan for the Academy? Thanks for praying – now prepare for a car wash anecdote – here we go.


So I’m filling my tank at a local gas station after enjoying lunch with three of our other pastors here. After keying in my zip code (hope I never lose my credit card in my zip code area – I think that’ll greatly diminish my chances of not being ripped off), the pump asks me if I want a carwash with my purchase. I look at a smear that has been on my rear van window since July and push the “yes” button. Tank full, I announce our adventure to my co-passengers and steer my dirty van into the automated car wash, being careful to drive all the way up to the flashing green light before coming to a stop in that one spot that makes one of those things work. 


This particular car wash has a stack of signs beneath the flashing green light that indicate which phase of the wash cycle is coming up next. The first sign blinks to life - apparently the “Pre-Soak” is about to commence. The sprayers on the wash arm spurt and sputter in an effort to soak something but only manage a few pathetic bubbles that trickle down the casing holding them. The arm passes back and forth over my van without anything get remotely wet.


The same thing occurs in the next cycle, entitled “Pre–Wash”. Lots of noise, a passing arm, but no liquid to speak of. Finally the “Wash” cycle begins, but apparently this car wash hasn’t been used since the Carter Administration, so the water that spews from the nozzles is toxic and instantly smells like the refuse of three aging herds of diseased elephants. That sweet aroma envelopes all in attendance – to this point in life, I have never had to cover my nose with my shirt while getting my car washed, but hey, it’s a day of firsts. If there is any actual soap agents involved with this cycle, I can only assume that whatever is making the water smell like it does has long since killed them.


Now here’s the capper. A white van is parked just outside the carwash, its nose pointed in the direction of the exit I am all too eager to use. The arm passes once more, this time to dry the filth the sprayers have deposited on top of the filth I’d paid to have the carwash to remove. The green light sign flashes again, cuing my departure, and as I head out, the gentlemen in the van emerges and heads toward the stink wash. I roll down my window to speak to him, and he informs me that the car wash has needed repair for some time and wonders aloud as to why the gas station would sell an unsuspecting customer a bogus wash (see: me). I wonder the same thing as I head back to work in a slightly less grimy but significantly stinkier van.


My point? Some things leave us thinking that they can cleanse when they can’t. Entire religions are built around the premise – if I do this, don’t do that, eat here, stop eating there for this amount of time, and never mess up, I become worthy of God. Only no one has ever kept their self-imposed rules perfectly. Works were never designed to make us clean. In fact, they aren’t that clean at all compared to the Holy God they are meant to appease. Check this verse out from Isaiah 64:6 -
        6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
It’s tricky though – our works can look good, and we can begin to think that we really are clean because of what we do. But may God constantly remind us that He is our righteousness, that Jesus alone saves and cleanses us from sin. Sure we need to obey, to honor, to glorify God in what we do. But spiritually speaking, if we are clean, it’s by the grace of God in Christ.


And now for what is going on at Bay Life – see you this weekend.
Mark Saunders
Pastor
Bay Life Church
1017 Kingsway Rd
Brandon FL 33510
813-661-3696


Christmas Eve Services 4, 5:30 and 7 pm - Childcare available through 5th grade during the 4 and 5:30 pm services


At the INFOdesk@baylife.org
·         Blood Pressure Screening Dec 11 | between services in the Cry Room
·         Breast Cancer Support Group Dec 19 | 7 pm in Room 604
·         Annual Business Meeting Jan 8  | during all services. This brief meeting is to affirm the Elders & Trustees for another year.
·         Welcome Lunch Jan 15 | meet in the lobby at 1 pm