Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Bojangles

 

There is a chain restaurant  in our area named Bojangles.   It is well known for  two things: their chicken and biscuits.   My wife Ann and I have been known to frequent that place every now and then or to wait  in line at their drive-thru window.    There was someone else at a local Bojangles location a few months ago:  Dale Earnhardt Jr.   If you are NASCAR fan or a racing fan, you probably know of Dale Jr.  He was recently elected as a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame having retired from racing a few years ago.  From news reports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not in the restaurant eating a biscuit or in the drive through ordering a meal.  No, he was working in the restaurant.  He is a spokesman for  Bojangles, and I suppose it was a way to bring publicity to Bojangles.  While there is nothing wrong with working at Bojangles.  I am grateful for those  people that do especially on those days when I am one of their customers.  However, I never thought that he would be working at a local Bojangles location.  

The Book of Jonah is a short book in the Old Testament.    Why, it is only 4 chapters long.   Even those who are not believers and read the Bible regularly know about Jonah in the belly of the fish (or whale).    While I will not take time to discuss every aspect of this book of the Bible, one of the things that Jonah tells us about is that while Jonah is in the belly of the fish, he prays to God.  God hears his prayer and Jonah winds up being spit up  by the fish on the shore.   None of us would expect Jonah to be in the belly of a fish or for God to show up there hearing the prayer of Jonah anymore than most racing fans  would expect Dale Earnhardt Jr. to show up to work at local Bojangles Restaurant.

We serve a God who always shows up in the most unlikely times and places:

God shows up for Elijah not in the thunder but in a still small voice

God shows up for Moses in a bush in the desert that is burning but is not consumed

God shows up for Paul in a bright light on the road to Damascus

I  would not expect Dale Earnhardt Jr. to show up working in my local Bojangles Restaurant but he did.  Thanks be to our God who shows in the most unlikely of times and places.   Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall

PRAYER    Almighty God,   we give you thanks that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Thank you, Lord, for always showing up.   Give me a vigilant hear to see you;  through Christ our Lord.   Amen.