Roller-Coaster Rides...

I used to hate roller-coasters due to a scary experience as a kid.  For many years I avoided them like the plague… until one fateful day when we brought our youth group to a “Christian Day” event at what was then called Marriot’s Great America amusement park in Santa Clara, California.  We had brought a good number of youths with us and assembled a team of our friends from the Baptist church where we were serving as Youth Ministers, to act as co-leaders.  We split up the group between teams of chaperones and youth and met at set times and locations throughout the fun-filled day that lasted until the park closed around ten that night.

I quickly discovered that one of our good friends who was assigned to Piper’s and my group as a co-leader, loved adventurous rides.  Throughout the day and evening hours he did his best to convince me to ride the park’s main attraction roller-coaster with him, promising that I would love its sudden drops, sharp turns and spiraling tunnels.  Well… it literally took all day for him to turn me around and as the sun began to set behind the tall buildings that surrounded the park, I finally agreed to give it a try… but only one time I swore!

And what can I say?  I DID LOVE IT… and for the next hour or so I couldn’t get enough rides out of it.  I don’t even remember how many times in a row that we rode it after that!  Then before we left, I did my best to convince a very set “NO-WAY-WILL-YOU-GET-ME-ON-THAT-THING” Piper to give it a shot… promising her up and down that she would REALLY enjoy it!  But after a short resistance, she trusted me and also enjoyed the spirited ride… although she wasn’t quite as hooked as I had been!  She always had been the more sensible one between the two of us… but then again… she was always up for a good adventure!

So, you would think that after that experience, that I would be loving the roller-coaster ride that I have been riding since Piper’s first MRI in the summer of 2007.  But you know… I most definitely HAVE NOT!  Maybe I had just gotten out of practice being as Piper and I were more apt over the years, to take our family camping in the mountains than spend precious vacation time at amusement parks!  And this roller-coaster ride isn’t the kind where you laugh at the adventure, but one that continues to pull and tear at your heart with each twist and turn of the ride.

I had gotten pretty cavalier and enjoyed throwing my hands up into the air throughout the most daring parts of the amusement park roller-coaster rides… with my life’s roller-coaster ride… not so much.  In fact, every twist and turn and every mountain we climbed had to be well thought out, prayed through, researched and calmly entered into.

As I look back at Piper’s and my yesterday and into my today without her, I see many verses of scripture that have become my lifeline.  Recently I have been studying Jesus’ words when He taught the multitudes encouraging them to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 EMTV) 

The word “seek” describes an individual who “craves something from someone or to hunt for something eagerly”  (Thayer’s and Dake)  To me that describes someone who is desperate for answers and won’t stop until he gets them.  I especially like The Message Bible’s straight forward rendering which tells the reader to “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. (and) Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”

As I did during my 24/7 care for my sweet wife for eight years, I continue to hang onto every promise of this verse today!  I find that by keeping my eyes on His-reality, on His God-given initiative and expecting His provision to meet my needs as I follow His will and directions for me, that I can’t help but come to the end of this ride and step into my new life surrounded by His Love, His Joy, His Grace, His Peace and His continual Encouragement.

I leaned that it helps to have this predetermination firmly established in me first thing every day… for believe-you-me, there are PLENTY of others out there who are more than willing to share their fearful reality and just-give-up initiative that only serves to distract your vision and your expectation away from God’s loving, grace-filled, and peaceful provision for you!  When you come right down to it…

THE CHOICE IS UP TO YOU… “but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!” (Joshua 24:15 KJV)

Have a great week, and keep expecting God’s best!