Stepping Stones: How far are you willing to pedal to church?

Transformational Thought

Early one Sunday morning, I was shopping at the local food store. As I approached the checkout line, I noticed a young man in front of me with a bicycle helmet still on his head; he was carrying two large vegetable platters. I asked him; “Are you planning on carrying all that on your bike?” He tapped his ear letting me know he was deaf. I watched as he double and triple bagged his purchase. As I was checking out I saw him leave the parking lot. He had two bags on one handle grip and one bag on the other. He was in a hurry.

On my way home, about three miles from the store, I saw the young man struggling to ride his bike in a straight line. The handles on one of the plastic bags had broken…and he was trying to hold it in his arm while steering the bike with the other hand. I pulled over to help; when he saw me he was thrilled. With no words spoken he quickly opened the passenger door and placed the vegetable trays on the seat. He pulled out a small pad of paper and wrote the cross streets of his destination. We were headed to his church which was another three miles away.

Met him at the church. He jumped off his bike and ran to get the pastor. It was a church for the deaf and he wanted the pastor to interpret his sign language for me. His name was Tony. He thanked me repeatedly and told me that when the handle broke, he knew God would send help. The church was having a luncheon following worship and the vegetable trays were Tony’s contribution. The pastor told me that Tony lived 12 miles from the church.

I left the church filled with happiness and thankfulness for the experience God had placed in front of me that Sunday morning. I had moved to that new town just one month prior to meeting Tony. I had not attended a worship service since arriving there. Laziness was only excuse. We often put our wants above our real needs, especially our spiritual needs. Then we wonder why we aren’t getting what we need and act so surprised!

A few months following that experience, I met Tony again at a local coffee shop. When he recognized me he gave me a big hug, grabbed my hand and took me to the store window. He pointed to a late model car parked at the curb and then pointed back at himself … Tony had his first car and he was filled with pride and joy.

Today, think about how much effort you put forth to praise God with others. Do you find time for God with only minimal effort, or when it fits into your schedule? Or do you sacrifice some of your “wants” to make regular time with God? How important is it to you to make it to church? How far would you pedal? What are you willing to endure to worship God and meet Him each day?

Prayer
Father God, I thank You for the little and not so little reminders and lessons you place before me for the taking. Today, I have a renewed thankfulness for my ability to see … to hear … to speak. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Father, so that I may use all my senses to give you glory and to praise You … to further Your Kingdom here on earth even in ways that I do not understand. I pray this in the name of my savior and teacher, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say – AMEN!

The Truth
But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:7

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all
2 Corinthians 13:14