Gary was a plumber. I was training to be one. Driving to work one day he turned up the radio and told me to listen to the lyrics – something he often did when he wanted to make a point.
The song was Who’s Gonna Drive You Home, by The Cars.
Who’s gonna tell you when
It’s too late
Who’s gonna tell you things
Aren’t so great
You can’t go on
Thinking nothing’s wrong, but bye
Who’s gonna drive you home tonight
Gary pointed out that the Holy Spirit uses songs like this to talk to people. I was still fairly young as a Christian and had not thought of that before. The Lord speaking through the radio to lost souls, just like that.
Who’s gonna pick you up
When you fall
Who’s gonna hang it up
When you call
Who’s gonna pay attention
To your dreams
Who’s gonna plug their ears
When you scream
You can’t go on
Thinking nothing’s wrong
Who’s gonna drive you home tonight
Not long after, my wife told me about a sacred moment in her life. Listening to the radio, James Taylor gave her the push she needed to break off a relationship. She felt the Spirit speak directly through You’ve Got a Friend.
Gary long ago passed away, too young to have had a heart attack. I think of him often, and sometimes, when it’s just me in the car, I turn up the radio and I sense a presence…
Who’s gonna hold you down
When you shake
Who’s gonna come around
When you break
You can’t go on
Thinking nothing’s wrong
Who’s gonna drive you home tonight