To say I ride a bicycle is probably an understatement. I have been an avid exerciser throughout my life and when I was told 19 years ago my knee would not allow me to run I took up bicycling. This past weekend was a great time to bike. I ended up out with some friends and that is always a treat. One of the differences in being out with some other people is the chance to "draft". Drafting is the technique of riding so close to the cyclist in front of you that you benefit from the wind break. I wear a heart monitor and I can watch my heart beat drop 20 to 30 beats per minute when I draft. I was driving back from Cleveland today and pulled behind a big truck on the turnpike. I thought with the gas prices what they are maybe drafting would work on the highway. I watched as my miles per gallon increased dramatically. The problem of course was my heart rate went up every time I checked how good my mileage was since the thought of a fiery crash was not very far from my mind. At least I wasn't trying to write this at the same time. All this drafting got me thinking about a quote I heard a while ago and wrote in one of my Bibles. The quote is from the grandson of Adoniram Judson. Adoniram Judson was a pioneer missionary to Burma who lived an amazing and incredibly difficult life. This is the quote,"If you are suffering in ministry then someone will succeed after you and if you are experiencing success in ministry then someone has suffered before you". If you are a Christian then your life is ministry. I think it is good to keep in mind that suffering is never without worth and success is never without a price even if you are not the one who paid it. So, if you are hurting for whatever reason then keep going and know there are those who are drafting you. If you are in the slip stream right now then find someone who is suffering and encourage them. You may not be able to find the one who paved the way for you but you can find someone who is out front and facing the wind of a lifetime.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
What is a 'slip stream'?
Joe-
Thanks for the illustration. Just think how it would feel to draft God! That's how close he wants us, right? In his slipstream our "Yoke" is lighter. We would not be in His shadow, though, 'cause in Him there is no darkness at all!
God Bless!
A. W. Tozer loved to say, "It's doubtful that God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply."
Paul "fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith." Sounds like it wasn't easy. Think of all the people who have drafted off him. Brother, I want you to know I am drafting off you (as usual).
Post a Comment