Christmas Presence
When the E30 BMW M3 hit U.S. showrooms in 1990, prospective buyers already knew its vitals: a 2,800-lb curb weight, wide 15x7 wheels below race-inspired bodywork, and a hand-built, 2.3-liter inline-four with individual throttle bodies and 192 horsepower at 6,750 RPM. The car had been on sale for three years already in other parts of the world, which meant U.S. buyers knew something else about it: regular mechanical service every 7,500 miles, including a valve adjustment every 15,000 miles. Perhaps this kept U.S. sales low; just 1,148 of the 1990-1991 examples were sold, the last of which didn’t make their way off of dealer lots until 1993.
The average U.S. driver puts about 15,000 miles on their car every year, so the expectation of annual valve adjustments may have been a deal breaker to E30 M3 buyers 30 years ago. Today, though, it’s a moot point. With their domination in DTM series racing, iconic styling, and rarity, anyone who can afford to buy one now can handle some maintenance expenses.
So, what changed? Thirty years is a long time, but was it just the passage of time?
In the Gospel of Matthew, the period immediately following Jesus’ birth may shed some light on changing perspectives: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.’” (Matthew 2:1-2). Their language indicates that they weren’t Jews themselves. Their behavior indicates that they were looking for an earthly king – that’s why they went to Jerusalem, the Jewish capital city. And their sign was the star, which would make them astrologers, which isn’t exactly the way God speaks to His people.
Their journey continues in verse 9: “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”
The star stopped over the place where Jesus was, and the Magi were “overjoyed.” This wasn’t a normal star, nor was it a normal royal birth. They met Jesus, worshiped him, and heard God speak to them in their dreams. Their experience surpassed their expectations, which adjusted their perspectives. After experiencing Jesus, some new earthly king and his rule – or Herod, and his schemes – became irrelevant. They, too, were moot points.
Today, no one stands in the presence of an E30 M3 and worries about valve adjustment costs. After thirty years of experiencing the car, expectations have been surpassed, and perspectives have been adjusted.
This is where God meets us this Christmas. He wants us to experience His presence and show how His grace and love surpass our expectations. Then, with new perspectives, He is ready for us to continue our travel toward our heavenly home by means of a new route – maybe one with some sweet curves and a few glorious straightaways.
