Page 145 - Ruston Regional 2016 Red Book

LIFEABICYCLE,you don’t fall off unless you stop pedaling. Is Like
At first I saw God as an observer, like my judge, keeping track of things I did wrong. This way God would know whether I merited going to heaven or if I was to be sent to hell when I died. In my mind’s eye He was always out there sort of like the President. I recognized his picture when I saw it but I really didn’t know him at all.
But later on, when I came to know and recognized my higher power better, it seemed as though my life was rather like a bike ride on a tandem bike. It seems in the very beginning that God was always in the back helping me pedal. I was the one deciding the direction and the places we would go.
I don’t know when it was but He suggested we change places so He became the leader and all at once my life became exciting. When I had been in charge it was somewhat boring I knew the way and always took the shortest distance between two points.
He knew and took some delightful trails up the mountains and through rocky places and He liked to travel at breakneck speeds across the meadows among the beautiful foliage; with my feet slipping off it was all I could to to hang on!
Even though it looked like complete madness, He kept saying “pedal, pedal!”
I worried and became anxious asking, “where are you taking me?”
He just laughed and did not answer. After a while I found myself starting
to trust in Him. I soon forgot my boring life and entered into the life of adventure and excitement. And when I became frightened, He would lean back an reassure me by touching my hand.
He took me to people with gifts that I needed; gifts of healing, acceptance, peace and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey, our journey - God’s and mine.
Once I had received their gifts we were off again. He said “give the gifts away they are much too heavy,” so I gave them to people we met. It wasn’t long before I found
that the more I gave, the more I received and the lighter the burden became.
At first I did not trust Him being in control of my life. I was convinced He would wreck it for sure. But He knew biking secrets, knew how to make it bend to make sharp turns, jump to clear places filled with rocks, fly to shorten scary passages.
At last I am learning to shut up and be still while I pedal in the strangest of places, and I am beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face as I ride with my delightful constant companion, my higher Power.
And when I am sure I can’t go on anymore, He just smiles and says “Pedal. . .”