I was thinking that I should go out for a bicycle ride and formulate my Sunday sermon before writing it down. And then I remembered this anonymous poem quoted in the book Holy Sweat by Tim Hansel:
The Bike Ride
When I met Christ,
It seemed as though life
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
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 Christ 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 was worried and 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.
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,
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 Christ 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 was worried and 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.
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,
To be in control of my life.
I thought He’d wreck it;
But Christ knows bike 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 am learning to 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,
I did not trust him, at first,
To be in control of my life.
I thought He’d wreck it;
But Christ knows bike 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 am learning to 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 can’t do any more,
He just smiles and says, “Pedal.”
And when I’m sure I can’t do any more,
He just smiles and says, “Pedal.”
I can go work on my sermon now.
In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
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