What Really Matters

NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide driver Josh Wise is relatively new to the faith, so when you speak with him, it’s almost as if you can sense spiritual truths coming to life inside of him.

When I caught up with him via telephone shortly before the 2012 season, we had an interesting conversation about the truth found in the book of Ecclesiastes.

In December of 2011, during the off-season, Wise sat down to read Ecclesiastes and it put the pressures of the sport into perspective for him.

“In the world that we’re trying to make it in as race car drivers, it seems like there’s so much that matters,” Wise told me. “You’re getting pulled in different directions, but the cool thing about Ecclesiastes is, it was saying none of that really matters. God is what matters—loving him and walking with him in everything you do.”

[You can read more about Wise in my new NASCAR devotional book called “Racin’ Flat Out for Christ” – available in both print and e-book.]

I had a similar experience recently with the book of Isaiah. As I worked my way through it, I was struck by the number of instances in which the prophet speaks about God’s mercy (Isaiah 12:1, 30:18, 43:25, 57:15). The book has its share of warnings as well, but mercy doesn’t mean a lot without the possibility of judgment. Reading about his mercy in this context gave me a deeper appreciation for it.

Have you been studying a book in the Bible that has made an impact on you? Share away in the comments.