Learning to Pedal with Christ

My church has graciously granted me a sabbatical after ten years of ministry.  The time could not be better as I am working on completing 2500 pages of reading and much writing for a doctoral seminar in just a week.  It has been a refreshing time of prayer, reading the Word of God, and being challenged by many authors without the  daily pressures that ministry can bring. Please know that I am privileged to labor with you and I pray for you all daily--know that I miss you a great deal.

My prayer and hope as a pastor is that as fully devoted disciples of Christ we are exercising obedience, growing in our faith, and sharing the Gospel with the lost in order that God is glorified and pleased with us.  I'm learning more and more that this requires less of me and more of Him.  Jesus Christ wants me to learn the secret of doing ministry with Him and not just for Him.  He wants me to know Him personally and enjoy a sweet relationship in His presence.  I came across this poem recently and I pray that it will serve to strengthen you as it did me.

The Road of Life

At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge
keeping track of the things I did wrong,
so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die.
He was out there sort of like a president.
I recognized his picutre when I saw it,
but I really didn't know Him.

But later on when I met Christ,
it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride,
but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ
was in the back helping me pedal.

I don't know just when it was that He suggested we change places,
but life has not been the same since.

When I had control, I knew the way.
It was rather boring, but predictable...
It was the shortest distance between two points.

But when he took the lead,
He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains,
and through rocky places at breakneck speeds,
it was all I could do to hang on!
Even though it looked like madness,
He said, "Pedal!"

I worried and was anxious and asked,
"Where are you taking me?"
He laughed and didn't answer,
and I started to learn to trust.

I forgot my boring life
and entered into the adventure.
And when I'd say, "I'm scared,"
He'd lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed,
gifts of healing acceptance and joy.
They gave me gifts to take on my journey,
my Lord's and mine.

And we were off again.
He said, "Give the gifts away;
They're extra baggage, too much weight."
So I did, to the people we met,
and I found that in giving I received,
and still our burden was light.
I did not trust him at first,
in control of my life.
I thought He'd wreck it;
but he knows the best secrets,
knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners,
knows how to jump to clear high rocks,
knows how to fly to shorten scary passages.

And I'm learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places,
and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face
with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.
And when I'm sure I just can't do anymore,
He just smiles and says. . . "Pedal"         (Author Unknown)

Prayer:  Dear God, give me the grace to pedal on and to trust you more with my future knowing that you always have my BEST interest at heart.  I'm thankful that you are my God and King!