A racecar doesn’t have a rearview mirror. That’s not because the past doesn’t matter, but because it’s the driver’s job to stay locked in on what’s ahead. What is behind, beside, and all around the driver is handled by the team. There is a spotter watching from above, a pit crew ready to adjust what needs fixing, and a crew chief tracking every move, communicating through the headset. The driver doesn’t have to see everything to be successful. He just has to trust the voice in his ear.
In many ways, God is like our crew chief. He sees the whole track of our life, all of the twists, turns, and hidden dangers that we can’t see. He is outside of space and time, guiding our every move and reminding us to stay focused on the road ahead.
In Isaiah chapter 30, God’s people were running scared, turning to Egypt for help instead of trusting in the one true God. But God spoke through the prophet Isaiah to give His people a promise. He says, “Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whether you turn to the right or to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21)
All throughout the book of Isaiah, God gives His people words of correction. But this is an interesting verse because it highlights our free will. We don’t have to follow the voice of wisdom we hear. We can choose to ignore it and go our own way, living by what we feel is right, turning right when He says to go left, or speeding up when we should be slowing down. But the invitation still remains. The still small voice of the Crew Chief is still there, ready to lead us back when we stray, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”
So how do you train your ear to hear the voice of the Crew Chief? Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Instead of trying to be your own crew chief, figuring out how to navigate the track of life by yourself, there is a better way. The Bible is not just another book. It is alive and active, ready to speak into the exact situation that you are going through (Hebrews 4:12). It is also useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The race is already mapped out. The Crew Chief knows every turn, every hazard, and every pit stop we’ll need. Our job as the driver is to tune out distractions and train our ear to hear His voice. This process takes time, patience, humility, and discipline to daily open up His Word. But it all points us toward Jesus, the One who not only guides us through the race, but ran it perfectly on our behalf. When we trust and surrender to His way, He’ll lead us to the finish line victorious.
The Bigger Picture: Trust God as your crew chief, tuning out distractions and relying on His Word to guide you through the race of life.
The Bigger Picture 