Thought for the day on 2 wheels!
(This series of Thoughts for the Day were inspired whilst taking a week’s break in Eastbourne with my friend Rev Rach Ward, a Minister in the Leeds South and West Circuit, previously a Local Preacher in the Ipswich Circuit)
4. Follow my leader…..
The last day of our cycle break found us no longer struggling up Z bends, gazing at castles or dodging rain showers. The Cuckoo Trail is a cycleway on the remains of a railway line from Eastbourne to Heathfield. We had travelled along the beginning of the route on an earlier ride and so the road to the starting point was familiar. This made it much easier and quicker to find. However despite the lack of cars we had to negotiate other cyclists and pedestrians often with their canine friends. The road surface was slippery and muddy in parts, and very gritty in others (not good news for road bikes!).
The two of us had very different bikes, one road bike and one electric. One of us was more confident in busy traffic, the other not. Each bike was suited to different circumstances. Each cyclist was confident in different situations.
Having a bicycle is one thing, but being able to ride it is another.
On the muddy and gritty parts of the ride, it was ok to follow the bike in front. However each cyclist needed to take responsibility for their own route, anticipating the ruts in the road, and the potential hazards.
In our faith we are given the tools by God. Each of us has different tools and different skills and that is OK. We can follow others, but God is the only one who will safely guide us along the slippery and gritty road.
Prayer: Gracious God, you give us the tools and the skills to do your will. Help us to rely on you and not on others who may also be finding their way. You remove obstacles that hinder our progress, you lift us up and heal our wounds when we fall. You bring us to journey’s end having travelled alongside us, and shown us the beauty of your world. Thank you for times of laughter and times of hurt, times of wonder and times of questions. May we put all our trust in you, our loving and merciful Father. AMEN