Not long after getting married, Anita bought me a hybrid Raleigh mountain bike. I was so excited. I had a wanderlust for riding that relieved some of life’s frustrations and gave me an outlet for my ADHD (at least temporarily). She knew I loved biking because I had ridden a cheap, old style 3 speed, with fenders, and a basket, that I had bought from a garage sale while at Seminary. That PeeWee Herman style bike may have embarrassed her a little. Perhaps she bought it to give her a break from my sometimes smothering style of relational affection (handed successfully down to me from my mother). That bike is now affectionately known as Old Blue. It has faithfully propelled me down many rural roads and nature trails in Columbus, GA; neighborhood routes and trails in Austin, TX; urban riverfront greenways and back streets in Nashville, TN; a hundred plus mile, two-day adventure fundraiser called “Jack and Back” from Franklin to Lynchburg, TN; riverfront and mountain beauty in Chattanooga,TN; miles of gorgeous bike paths in Dublin and Columbus, OH and miles of oceanfront roads and beaches while on vacations. In my first church, a medical professional told me I needed to make sure I included physical activity in my daily routine because of the stressful situations I would face in ministry. I enjoyed biking, it was a little faster than walking, but slow enough to enjoy the scenery. Every chance I get, I try to bikexplore and bikenjoy the places where God has me. For some years, it was just me. Then the adventures included a bike for Anita, and then each of 4 kids except the ones temporarily in the trailer connected to Old Blue. Then, as the kids had interests of their own, it was back to just me and Old Blue again. Occasionally Anita would join me on her mother’s mountain bike. In Dublin, OH though, as Anita and I were driving, looking for a new home, we noticed a tandem hybrid at the street in one neighborhood. I said, “I wonder if that is for sale,” and then I asked Anita if she would ride it with me? We stopped and we could hear a man from the garage say, “$25 bucks!”. We began to talk and he, in a thick New Jersey accent, told us that he was a policeman. He discovered that I was a pastor. He excitedly told us he was married to a pastor's daughter, so he wanted to give us the tandem. Anita and I tried it the first time… quite a feat of trust for a strong independent woman, riding behind someone when she had no control over speed or direction. She loved it though. We rode that thing exploring our new city, until literally, it fell apart, beyond repair and we had to call our daughter to come rescue us. Then we bought another tandem cruiser, known as Big Red, and rode it everywhere… until we moved back to TX where the heat caused a steering malfunction and we crashed breaking Anita’s pelvis. Then it was back to Old Blue as Anita healed her bones and worked on trusting me and the bike to take her safely on two wheeled adventures again. Old Blue is over 30 years old, has been tuned up several times, had a new gear cassette, new tires, cables, and chains, new grips and seems to still be strong enough for off road (known to me as “tree bashing”) trips (though trail rides are much more tame than the challenging terrain of yesteryear for this old man). Old Blue has been faithful and true, even through flats, crashes, long grueling rides and lost trails.
The Apostle John wanted to reassure those in the early church who may have been unsure about what he future held for them. He knew that Jesus could always be trusted for their future. Times were difficult and uncertain. Governments, rulers, even neighbors and some so called friends couldn’t be trusted. John spoke of Jesus, the conquering Messiah, who would rescue them and defeat His enemies, those who were persecuting His favorite people. John says, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”(Revelation 19:11–16 NIV) Jesus is faithful and true and will see us through whatever it is we are facing!
Hang in there people! God is glad to be with us! I’m praying for us all!
