A Lifetime of Searching!
November 9, 2017
Dale & Jeannie Daly
Jeannie and I recently returned from attending the SEMA Show (Specialty Equipment Marketing Association) in Las Vegas. The shortest of a longer description of the SEMA Show is: a yearly event held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. SEMA draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place that is held anywhere. Street rods; Muscle Cars; Ford, GM, and other makers display upwards of ten to thirty of their models that are customized to the hilt! The 4- day event also provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, networking opportunities and so much more! While the trade-only event is not open to the general public, it did draw close to 80,000 domestic and international buyers from all around the world, while featuring nearly 3,000 newly introduced parts, tools and components.
SEMA also allows a Wednesday morning Prayer Breakfast where various speakers from Barry Meguiar, President of Meguiar’s, Inc.; Corky Coker of Coker Tires; to now retired, Norm Miller who at the time when he spoke was President and Chairman of Interstate Batteries; Jim Rowlett, NSRA Chaplain; and where I too have had opportunity to share Jesus before a room full of wonderful men and women. It was about 30 years ago while serving as Sr. Vice-President of another motorsport ministry that we had the opportunity to begin the very first Prayer Breakfast at a SEMA Show, and how faithful God has been to encourage others to carry this important gathering on from that early beginning.
This year’s Prayer Breakfast was slightly different as SEMA Chairman Wade Kawasaki announced a film would be shown. The recently released film was titled, “Steve McQueen’s Search for Satisfaction.” In the film, Pastor Greg Laurie hit the road in his mint Mustang, traveling the country in search of the true, untold story of McQueen’s redemption filled final chapter. Steve came from one of the worst childhood’s possible, then clawed his way to the top of the Hollywood ladder. While he was an expert race-car driver and motorcycle rider; a man’s man; and a charismatic superstar in the film industry, he contracted cancer and later died early at a young 50 years of age.
However, there is so much more to his story. While Steve did all of the above, there was always a big hole in his heart, a gaping hole he tried to fill with possessions, accomplishments, fame, women, alcohol, and drugs. Not unlike many others in that regard! Maybe this even describes you, or at least someone you well know. Steve was once quoted as saying, “I know I’m going to die early, so I’m going to have to grab a big slice of life.” While he got a bigger slice than most, it all crumbled to ashes. He was on a search his entire life---searching for more yet not knowing what that was. A search for God!
In the end his search led him to the Gospel---truly good news in a bad world. But before we can fully appreciate the good news, we need to know the bad news that Steve came to the realization of. The bad news is that every man or woman has sinned. Like Steve, all have broken God’s commandments, whether unintentionally or deliberately crossing the line.
God’s mark for humanity is perfection. So, who can live like that? The answer is nobody. That’s where Jesus comes in. That’s why He came to this earth: on a rescue operation to save us from the consequences of our sin. He was born in that Christmas manager in Bethlehem. He became a man and walked among us. He walked in our shoes; He breathed our air; He lived our life; and then He died our death. He came to pay a debt He did not owe, because you and I owed a debt we could not pay. But three days later, He rose again from the dead. And now, He who lived, died, and rose from the dead is standing right before you saying, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in” (Rev. 3:20).
After a lifetime of searching, Steve found what he was looking for in the person of Jesus. He chose to open the door of his heart and let Jesus come in, and today by way of the most important film of his career, his real-life story is reaching untold numbers of individuals with the biggest, best, and most important decision he made after a lifetime of searching.
“Whatever you’re chasing after in life, nothing compares to God Himself. If He can change Steve McQueen’s life, He can change yours, too.” (Billy Graham org)
Blessings,
Psalm 20:7
Dale & Jeannie
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