grace and the art of bicycle maintenance

it's been darned close to four months since i last uploaded something to a blog.

one word can explain this reality.

summer.

if you were looking for two words, here's the second.

bicycles.

for those of you out there in cyberland who don't know this; i enjoy this journey of faith we call "discipleship" and i often find insights to my relationship with Jesus while maintaining bicycles.

hence the title of this post.

now grace is often described as a "free gift from God."
this speaks of the forgiveness offered each person on this planet.
to say grace is undeserved is an understatement equivalent to saying bikes have good MPG ratings.

this grace thing goes contrary to our human way of doing things.

we like to earn our keep.

by now, you're probably wondering what the art of bicycle maintenance has to do with grace.

grace gets us going.
our relationship with Jesus is made right.

but what next?

i've been given more "free gifts" that have two wheels, a chain, some gears, pedals, brakes, handlebars, some rubber filled with air, and a goofy looking piece of steel holding it all together than my wife would want me to admit.
not all of these bikes are ready for riding to the grocery store much less pedaling to victory in the BOFRAF (Big Ol' Freakin' Race Around France a.k.a. Le Tour De France).

where most people see a pile of junk, i see potential for adventure.

that's the way it is with Jesus too, i'd argue.

our life is a mess, sin sucking into a sinkhole of hopelessness.
people around us stare.
but Jesus sees potential.

we accept the free gift of grace.
on our own little cloud we set our sights so high people actually think we are high.
some scripture quotations here, a francis chan shout out there, and we are off to the races.

but what next?

that rusty chain causes your gears to skip. a wobbly wheel didn't seem so bad in the garage, but with the wind in your face at 30 MPH, you feel a bit unstable. squeezing the brakes, you realize you don't really feel ready for this adventure. your tires pop and you're on the side of the road, deflated.

i'm afraid the western, postmodern faith sets people up for a bad crash in matters of faith.

we are all beat-up, broken down, bicycle type people.

as we "offer ourselves as a living sacrifice" to God we are responding to his grace.
he accepts us as a gift, just as we accepted his gift.

but what next?

is he immediately going to fix all our problems?
will we instantly be ready to rise to rooftop levels of sanctified success?
are we going to see great measures of growth overnight?

i don't think so.

scripture speaks of grace as a free gift but it also gives us a picture of a lifelong journey of faith.

second after second
minute after minute
hour after, hour
day after day
week after week
month after month
year after year
decade after decade
we are to turn our eyes from ourselves and look to Jesus.

we live in an instant culture where we can swipe a card, sign a name and get shiny new things.

fortunately, faith doesn't work like that.

in the same way i've become intimately acquainted with the squeaks and creaks, pieces and parts, history and future of many bikes this summer; Jesus and I have a newer relationship over time.

some consistent care, research here and there, and maybe (*gasp!) a helping hand from a more experienced friend will do wonders.
learning the correct tools, replacing the broken parts, and getting out of the garage into the wild world transforms both bikes and believers.

what is it in your day-to-day living that causes you to marvel at God's grace and this long journey of faith He wants to go one with you?

Into the Air Conditioning

It's been really hot out lately. Really hot. But I probably don't need to tell you that. Despite the heat, my little man and I still spend much of our day outdoors: going on our morning walk, Zeke pushing his little umbrella stroller up and down the driveway, digging in the dirt, playing in little backyard pool, going to the park, visiting the neighbor's dog. When I'm in the heat, there are moments when I realize how incredibly warm it is outside; but a lot of the time, I get used to the heat. Until we come inside. And that initial, wonderful sensation of air conditioning reminds me of just how warm I am.

Last week, I wrote about how I felt like I was in this spiritual rut. It's like being outside when it's hot: there are moments when I realize just how stuck I am; but a lot of the time, it's easy to get used to being in that rut.

And this week, I've stepped into the air conditioning. 

I've been refreshed as I have slowly read through barely a chapter in Luke a day. Some mornings I've only gotten a handful of verses read before the little man is up and it's time to cuddle while reading books for 30 minutes. Other mornings, I've gotten an entire chapter read - but not just read, I've actually let the Word sink into my heart, let Him work. And it has been a blessing.

I can't tell you anything earth-shattering that I've read. I can't tell you that I've had any "I-never-realized-this-before" moments. I can't tell you that reading through the book of Luke now is like reading it through for the first time.

But I have been reminded. 

Reminded of what Jesus expects of His followers (Luke 6:32-35). Reminded that Jesus desires me to hear and to do (Luke 6:46,8:21). Reminded that Jesus doesn't always send us far away to tell others about the wonderful things that He has done for us (Luke 8:39).

And being reminded? It's good. I need reminders. Lots of reminders.

So next time I'm out in the heat, when I'm stuck in the rut - because, unfortunately, these air-conditioned, refreshing times never last forever - I'm going to remember to step out of the heat. Slow down a little bit. Get an extra nap. Sit down with the Word. Pray for the revived heart.

And always, always always cling to Him. Because He never changes. 

Mowers, Ruts and Revival

Our 15-month son Ezekiel loves lawn mowers. Actually, he loves anything with a motor. Trucks, boats, cars, snow-blowers (even though he hasn't seen it in action yet), buses, motorcycles. But it's like he has a sixth sense in regards to mowers. He'll hear a mower blocks away when I wouldn't have even noticed it without him pointing it out. He sees mowers hidden in garages, behind bushes, and on the back of trailers out on our walks. And every time he sees one - "Mow! Mow! Mow!"

It's cute. I love it and I love him.

Zeke's love for mowers, his excitement at seeing them time after time, his ability to pick out the sound of a lawnmower from all the noises happening outside -- its made me think. Its made me think about my love for the Lord. For my excitement at hearing His Word, time after time. About my ability to pick out the voice of the Lord despite all the other noises and business going on about me.

Sometimes, I get in a spiritual rut. Scripture honestly doesn't excite me. Or I feel like I've heard it all before. Somehow, along the way, the wonderful gift of salvation, of God's mercy and grace, of His incredible love, of His righteousness bestowed upon me - became so . . . normal.

And hearing His voice? Sometimes I hardly feel like I have time to hear myself think. Or I wake up slightly early with good intentions to spend time in the Word with the Lord -- and Zeke decides it's a good day to wake up slightly early too.

But I don't like this rut. 

So what do I do?

Maybe my time in the Word with the Lord needs to happen after Zeke is in bed for the evening. Maybe I need to start doing things that actually challenge my faith; that put it into action; things that make me uncomfortable and give Him the glory. Maybe I have my own "church service" during nap time or in those quiet hours of the evening with my husband before we go to bed since Sunday mornings I am so distracted.

Maybe -- actually, really -- I need to pray for a revived heart. A heart that yearns to grow. A heart that yearns to love. A heart that hears the Word and is changed. A heart that rejoices with the truth no matter how often I've heard it.

"Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts." - Jeremiah 15:16, NASB (emphasis mine)

May this be the genuine prayer of my heart and desire of my soul.