Our town was quite small. There was neither traffic nor crime to worry about. Besides, our neighborhood was on the edge of town where nobody needed to be unless they lived there. In fact, the town was so small, our phone number was 9-R. Those were the old dial-up, party-line days.
Anyway, back to my story. My brother had just learned to ride. Mom had pushed him, and steadied him, and run along side him. Over and over again the routine was repeated until he could finally ride all by himself. He was one happy kid with a huge grin on his face, determination in his eyes, and hands working hard to keep the wobbles away. At last he was one of the big boys.
"Here he comes! Yea, Jim!" we shout.
"There he goes. Bye."
"Here he comes again! Yea!" We wave.
"There he goes." Jim, tightly gripping the handle bars, wiggles his fingertips at us and grins an even bigger grin.
After several laps Mom and I went inside and let Jim enjoy his new-found freedom. While he pedaled, I immersed myself in my library book, Nancy Drew of course. Mom washed dishes while keeping a watchful eye on her son as he went by again and again. After several minutes I heard Mom exclaim, "I wonder why Jim is crying?" Out she ran. I was hot on her heels.
Around the corner he came, wobbling like crazy and crying his little, blue eyes out. "Help! I don't know how to stop. I'm going to fall!"
Mom grabbed the bike, lifted Jim off, and set him on solid ground. Her little boy was scared, tired, helpless, and alone. As the tears ran down his cheeks, and his tired little legs trembled, Mom just hugged him real tight.
She felt so bad she hadn't taught him how to stop.
As that memory of my teary, little brother flashed before my eyes, I thought to myself, isn't that the way life itself can become? I get on my bicycle of busyness and start pedaling. I am so happy to be doing something. Round and round I go with a smile on my face and my feet on the pedals. But sometimes I start getting so tired I could cry, or other times I feel scared, or helpless, or alone. I need to get off and rest a spell.
Like my mom did with my brother, God shows me how to ride his special bike. He steadies me, walks along beside me, pushes me, and cheers me on. But, he does something else. He also shows me (us) when and how to stop, get off, and rest.
He gives us the Sabbath as a day of rest. Exodus 20:8-11
Jesus shows us how to take time to be alone with him. Luke 5:16
He also shows us how to sleep in the midst of storms when fears may arise. Matthew 8:24-26
Thank you, Lord, for showing us how to stop and seek refuge in you.
Jan and Licorice Kitty
Exodus 20:8-11 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it."
Luke 5:16 "However, he continued his habit of retiring to deserted places and praying."
Matthew 8: 24-26 "And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!" He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.…"
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