THE Designated Driver

A couple of hours ago I was driving into Orland Park to do a few things at the office and I spotted a billboard with a picture of a typical holiday scene showing people drinking beer and having a great time.  The name of the beer was written across the bottom of the billboard.  The only other written copy was, “Be responsible.  Make sure there is a designated driver.”  Good Advice.  In all my years of drinking I followed that advice every time.  I swear to you. Unfortunately, I always designated myself as the driver.  It’s how I originally received my nickname, “Colt of a Wild Ass.”  or just plain Jack.  My Closest Friend and Lover of my soul Calls me Mike.  I am a Recovering human.

It’s not my intent to make this about drinking.  I get it.  Man’s nature, from the very moment it is conceived in the womb and comes forth in such extraordinary fashion, wooing and winning the hearts of all who are blessed. . .from that moment forward, the soul is determined to find life and love, and purpose for its existence.  There is a brilliance in the soul that discovers in a creative way, helpful aids that enables the heart to enhance, to enjoy, to be more social and comfortable with others.  Ingeniuous ways to endure, to overcome, to succeed, to deal with pain and frustration and to medicate the growing reality that there appears to be something wrong that’s making us a little woozy and over the legal limit of the law of sanity.

We start our engines every morning, let it warm up a little bit, pour some home made brew down the tank and off we go. . .self-sufficient, self-directed designated drivers on the highway of life. If I had said this at a Humans Anonymous meeting I regularly attend with the other sheep, we all would have sheep eating grins on our faces. . .and some of the old timers would be shaking their heads, remembering when they didn’t know any better either.  The meetings are filled with sheep who were continuously driving  over the legal limit. . . blind to traffic lights and signs, deaf  to warning signals and impaired mentally and physically.  In their blackouts they only remember sadness and misery, being totally self-deluded and self-deceived.  .  .driving themselves into the utter depths of despair.  .  .yet incredibly discovering a Substitute Driver.  .  . their  Eternal Chauffeur.   .THE  Designated Driver of the Universe.

       “You did Drive out the sheep with Your Own Hand.  You Removed them from their illness and inabilities and You Fixed and Planted them in Your Own Abundant Life and Power.  Their own driving could not save them. but Your Right Hand and Arm, and the Light of Your Own Presence Rescued them.   .   .because they were lost and undone.  Your Eternal Love and Grace for Your sheep  was the only Reason that it was the Season for a time for Your Love for each one.  Psalm 44:2-3

Webster’s dictionary defines the word designated:  “chosen but not yet installed;  to  indicate and set apart for a specific purpose or duty;  to point out the location of a marker designating the next moment of trouble and rescue;  to specify and stipulate;  appoint; fix; name; set.”  The driver chooses the best and safest route to take and since the journey is full of uncertainties and bumps in the road, the driver is Equipped to bring the passenger to its appointed, predetermined destination, not only in one piece.   .    .but Filled with the Mercy and Peace and Love of God.

            “He has Chosen the sheep to be in Union with Him before the world was created.  He had already Mapped out the specific route for each one that included every thing that would ever happen in their life, in every way, shape and form.  Even before they finally realized it, He had been in total Control of their lives.  He had been Driving them through every trial, through every difficulty, through every moment of sadness and disappointment, through every thought of guilt and despair, through every second of failure and defeat.  The entire journey Perfectly Designed, Perfectly Set in Divine Iron,  like the type on a old printing press.  .  .to Arrive at the Destination Predestined by Him.   .   .a Place to Fill us with the Fruit of His Spirit through Union with His Son.  Becoming branches on the Vine, Bearing the Fruit of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness and Self-control. .  . Enabled to Succeed in life, Energized with the very Power of God, Himself.”  Ephesians 1:4

THE Designated Driver for the sheep of His flock.  Like the footprints in the sand.   .   .only His are visible for He is the Eternal Source of Power, Love and a Sound Mind to the tired and weary sheep who have lost their will to drive and now are dependent on Him to take them from one place to another, as He Makes sure that all things.   .   .everything that they experience along the way, Works for their Good and proves to them that His Love never fails, for it is New every morning.  Great is His Faithfulness.

Freely Given.      Freely Received.       No charges ever, for the Ride.   Free to all who are the Apple of His eye.