Monday, June 24, 2013

just like riding a bike

a friend recently posted this to fb...


do you remember the first time you rode a bike?

 
 
i lived in a neighborhood that was a big circle and my friends and i would go 'round and 'round all summer long...stopping at each of our houses for ice-pops...

with the wind whipping my hair and the sweet smell of summer...and the sound of the beads on the spokes...i can almost hear it...'clink-it-a, clink-it-a, clink-it-a, clinkit-a clinkit-a, clinkita clinkita clinkita, whirrrrrrrrrrrr'  ...once you got going fast enough they didn't make a sound.

i loved riding my bike. 

but i grew up and stopped riding...now i don't even own one...

i sat on one at a store the other day...

it was really uncomfortable.  i thought to myself...how in the world did i ever enjoy this?

sigh.



once again, Father God revealed how much that has happened in my faith.

i used to relish sharing Jesus with those around me.  it wasn't eloquent or probably even graceful...but it was very honest.  i just bubbled over.  people probably thought i was nuts...but i didn't care.  i was just so completely in love with Jesus.  and it was contagious.  people that started out as cynical became curious...people that started out as curious became enthralled...people that started out as enthralled became completely consumed with their own love affair with Father God.  and it didn't actually have anything to do with me...which is what made it more beautiful.
 
and then i grew up.
 
i stopped sharing Jesus.
 
i stopped looking like a fool.
 
i still love Jesus...but i guess i'm just not as quick to share.
 
recently i encouraged a stranger to seek God.
 
it felt weird.  and made me sad.  what has happened to me? 
 
 
'it's just like riding a bike' is a common expression.
...it usually means that you never forget how to do it...or that it's easy to pick up again after you've forgotten...
 
so...i'm just going to have to put my feet back on those pedals and ride again...
 
...'clink-it-a, clink-it-a, clink-it-a, clinkit-a clinkit-a,
 clinkita clinkita clinkita, whirrrrrrrrrrrr'... 
 

 

vindicate me.

God's faithfulness...as always...blows me away all over again.

Psalm 26:1
Vindicate me, Adonai, for I have lived a blameless life;
 unwaveringly I trust in Adonai.
 
well...the truth is...i'm far from blameless...but i do trust in God more than anything else in the whole wide world.
 
and He comes to my rescue and protects me...even before i ask...in fact...often before i even realize i need Him.