“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.” –Deuteronomy 31:6
It was in July of 1876 that Henry Ford witnessed, for the first time, a small portable steam engine. At the age of 16, Ford had already shown that he was gifted with machines. The sight of this small new engine set his imagination to wondering about the many possibilities that could come from such a marvel.
Henry Ford is the famous founder of the Ford Motor Company. He was an innovative leader in manufacturing. He helped to produce ground-breaking cars such as the Model T and the Model A. His legacy is seen today in the millions of cars that are on roads around the world with the blue Ford oval on their hoods. The stories of Henry Ford’s legendary inventions and his innovative approaches to manufacturing are well known. He is a pioneering legend in the world of automobiles.
You may not know this but the first thing to put the Ford name in the public eye was a race. In the early days of the automobile everyone that was building cars would race them. There was no internet or TV news. The best way to gain the public’s attention was to race your car. Henry Ford entered his first car in a race 1901. This would be the first and only race Ford would ever drive in himself. There were many other great cars entered in the race. As the race drew closer, everyone but Ford and the Winton were left to race. The Winton had already made its fame for being one of the fastest cars, but that did not deter Ford. He raced and he won.
It only took a few weeks after the race for the Ford name to be known around Michigan. Henry Ford used his new-found fame to start his first automobile company and from there Ford would become a household name.
From an early time in his life Henry Ford had a dream. His dream was to build, improve and distribute his cars. It is amazing to think that, in all that Ford accomplished, much of it was helped by a single race.
What would have happened if Ford had not entered that race? What if he decided that the Winton was just too fast? What if any number of mistakes he made kept him from trying to improve? God created each of us with purpose. We have been given passion and dreams. We must not let our past failures or our worries about the future keep us from trying. God has given us grace to overcome our fears and to open our eyes to a world filled with wonderful possibilities. As we begin this week, let us look to the love and grace of God, start our engines, and trust in God for an exciting future.
Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
