When I was little, I never learned how to ride a bike. Our driveway was gravel and I rode horses so there was no real need. When I was 12, my Papaw taught me how to ride one. I fell off a lot and it terrified me. Finally, I got good enough to take short trips with him around the neighborhood. I haven’t rode one since I was 13.
When I was told this month that we would be getting bicycles to ride to ministry, I was thrilled. They brought them by today and I picked out the gold one as mine. I decided to try riding it around.
You know how people say, “it’s just like riding a bike, you never forget.” Ya, well that is FALSE.
I fell off multiple times. I skinned up my palms and knuckles. I collided with the ground, shrubs, and fences. An old man came stopped riding his own bicycle just so he could watch and laugh at me. I tried to laugh it off but it wasn’t funny. I finally broke when I collided with a concrete barrier on a bridge over the ocean. I hit it hard and the Japanese lady in closest proximity was so concerned. It was absolutely humiliating. My pride was hurt and I was pissed.
II started yelling at God in my head. You let me fall! I didn’t let you fall. You were trusting in yourself and not me. You fell because you were trying to do it with your own strength. Why did you give me this desire to ride a bike but not the ability? Do you remember Moses? He stuttered but I used him to make me look even more powerful. I did this to physically show you how to put ALL of your trust in me.
I was still mad. Thanks a lot, God. I looked like a complete fool. I pushed my bike home and pouted. As soon as the sidewalk gpt wider, I heard God saying, “Get back on the bike”. He said it over and over and I responded with, “I am NOT getting back on that f-ing bike, God.” He kept repeating himself and finally I decided to give it a shot. I told God that I was going to try again and put all of my trust in Him. It was all up to Him. If I fell, it was Him. If I rode, it was Him. Want to guess what happened?
I rode. Even when it was scary and even when I thought I was going to fall off, I put my faith in Him and He kept me upright.
As I was riding I asked God, “Why did you start me out on the narrow pathway on the bridge? It was too hard!” You started there. I told you to ride when the path was wide. I wanted the easier road for you. I didn’t want you to go through pain.
Then God brought the verse in Exodus 13:17 to my mind. When Pharaohs let the people go, God did not lead them on the roadthrough the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.
Don’t we do this in our lives? We think that our way is better or we can do it on our own strength or that God doesn’t have our best interests in mind. God wants to take us on the route that is easier. He wants to keep us from pain but first we have to fully trust in Him and get on the bike.
