Note: This article was presented at the United Clubs Of Austin monthly meeting on the third anniversary of the tragedy at Twin Peaks in Waco Texas on May 17th, 2015
Imagine with me for a moment what you thought the day was going to be like on May 17, 2015, attending the COC&I meeting in Waco. If you are like me, you imagined that you would drive up, have lunch, and then listen to our usual speakers tell about what had been happening at the Capital and what was going to happen politically in our constant striving to protect our rights as bikers and motorcycle riders. Even after all the violence, as many of you were told to sit on the grass and wait, I would guess you thought you would answer some questions and then be able to head home in a few hours. But that was not to be. Someone else had an agenda that day and the power to fulfill it.
I remind us of these things because as much as we would like to think we are in control of our lives and our destiny, that day made it pretty clear that we are not.
But, there is someone who is in control of our lives, our destiny, and our world, and I’m not talking about someone in the Texas Justice System, I’m talking about God. Now, I know that some of you will immediately want to ask; If God is in control, then why did He allow people to die that day, and why did He allow so many people to be arrested? John 15 verses 18 and 19, give us some insight into the answer.
John 15: 18,19 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.”
In Jesus day he was considered by the rulers of the time to be a rebel and a serious threat to their power. Some people see the motorcycle community as a threat to their idea of what society should be. We live in an imperfect world where lines are drawn and sides are taken, there is justice and injustice, there is right and wrong. God has said He has allowed this for the present. We are beginning to see Justice happen, even though it is not yet complete.
As we gather today, I see many men and women who had their lives changed that day, and today we come together as a memorial, and a kind of party to remember what happened and to renew our commitment that it should never happen again. Today we give a cheer for those that have come through the tough time, for those that are still struggling, and for those that we lost. We also raise our hands, not in a fist, but with an open hand reaching out to God for His wisdom, guidance and peace. The struggle isn’t over, but we will overcome because we are patient, steadfast, and determined to see this through, to make things right.
My prayer is that God will bless us, support us, encourage us, empower us and lift us up as we press forward toward the goal. How about you?
