Trust Your Journey
by Pastor Scott
By the time you read this article, I will be riding my bicycle across the state of Iowa. This is what the website says about it, “RAGBRAI, Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, is more than just a bike ride. It is an epic seven-day bicycling adventure that tests endurance, showcases community and builds lasting friendships. The longest, largest and oldest bicycle touring event in the world, it is one-third bicycling, two-thirds fun!” The entire 7-day ride is 454 miles in length.
So, for the past three months I’ve been training and also talking with the gentlemen I’ll be riding with via Zoom meetings. I have been asked, “Now, why in the world am I doing this?” I guess there are a couple of reasons.
1. God has opened up this opportunity for me.
2. Peer pressure. (Two friends of mine from my days in Kids from Wisconsin were the ones who initially asked me).
The bigger question is how I am going to complete this journey?
1. With the support I’ve received from my family and friends.
2. With the help of God.
I do understand that this bike ride across Iowa is not like the epic Biblical journeys we all know. It’s not like Abraham’s sojourning, Moses leading his people out of slavery or Jesus preaching and teaching the way of God throughout the Middle East.
The crucial element of a journey is having a mission you aim to fulfill that is almost always met with adversity and doubt. In my time of training, I’ve certainly had my doubts, along with leg cramps, sun burn and flat tires. But it’s in those difficult times of the journey that I’ve been inspired by the Word of God to give me strength and direction and the encouragement of my family to keep going. (I also have a wife who is willing to come and pick me up when I blow another tire and don’t have any spares left).
The Christian life is a journey. Some of it is a long uphill climb. Sometimes we hit bumps and obstacles in the road that slow down our journey or even bring it to a screeching halt. And sometimes we get to coast along at great speed with no obstacles in our way. Those are the times that give us the strength to keep going. Through it all, God is faithful.
As I said, the key component of any journey is having a mission and when you know that your life is a mission for God, anything you do can be done to His glory.
During this time with friends as we bicycle across the state of Iowa, I hope and pray that God will open up moments when I can share my faith in the One True God. If we look to Him and his word of truth, no matter where our journey leads us, God will inspire us and give us the strength to succeed.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3.
In Jesus name, Amen.
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