In the movie Smokey and the Bandit, Jackie
Gleason stars as the cantankerous Sheriff Buford T. Justice. He spends the
majority of the movie on a high-speed chase after Burt Reynolds who plays the
role of the cool and debonair Bandit. I have always admired the Sheriff’s
passionate perseverance and his determination to catch the Bandit. I will never
forget this famous line where he says, “I’ll chase you in hot-pursuit to the ends of the earth.”
“Chase” is an
interesting term. It is the name and theme of a Bible study written by Jennie
Allen* that our group is starting tonight. As I looked over the introductory section, one
of the first questions is, “what do you chase?” I thought for a long time about
what I have been chasing for 52 years. Then I decided to look at each decade
and analyze it:
1-10
Friendships, good family relations, a
good time…
Teens Friendships, love, a good time…
20’s Education, career, a family, a good time…
30’s Family life, financial stability and then
some, comfort, a good time…
40’s Family life, financial stability and then
some, comfort, a good time...
It
looks like the common denominator is a good time? The
truth is, I never wanted to be a stick-in-the-mud, but one day I got a glance
from another angle. I was in my late forties when a friend and I were planning
a trip (another good time) and she made a comment that caused me to re-think my
current course. We were discussing a possible cruise with some mutual friends.
She said, “I don’t think we want to go with them, they are religious and not
fun like us.” I remember that this comment haunted me and while I didn’t make
immediate changes, it was the start of a new, exciting chase. I came to realize
that the only way to find a lasting good time is by chasing God.
I have a long way to go in this new chase, but
my prayer is to meet my maker and have Him say, “I loved your passion and
determination in your hot-pursuit to chase Me to the ends of the earth.”
Michele
*Jennieallen.com/blog
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