The End is Near?

Dear Family,

On my bike across Kansas, a few years ago, there was one day that really stood out. It was the day that my friends and i chose to ride a hundred miles. We were 2/3 of the way through Kansas, and we found ourselves riding the hills of eastern Kansas, but this was our day to do a century. The ride started normal. Cool morning. Little wind. And the road was primarily flat. But that soon changed.

It got hot, quickly, and the flat road turned into a hilly jaugernaut that almost ruined my plans of riding a hundred miles. But we pushed on. The wind increased. The temperature rose, and yet we rode on. It seemed like the miles just kept coming, with no end in sight, and i began to wonder if i had made the right choice: in riding across Kansas and doing a hundred miles in a day, on a hot day, in early June. And yet, we kept on peddling.

My friends pushed hard and traversed mile after endless mile, almost without effort, but i struggled and questioned. Then i heard our pit stop, for the night, was only a few miles away, i began to get happy, joyful, ready to get out of the saddle and rest. I caught up with my friends, and we were talking about the pit stop. We could stop, but we would be three miles shy of our goal of a hundred. It had been a hard day, but we had vowed to do a century this day. We came to a turning point, go left and rest, or continue straight for about five miles, ensuring we conquer that elusive century.

We chose to ride on, we were so close, and yet the job wasn't finished. Even though the hills that lay before us were some of the most heart wrenching hills we had ridden, yet, we rode on. We rode four miles in, turned around, and made our way back. Nothing could describe the joy i had when we turned the corner, moving quickly, heading to our pit stop. Why? Because we had had a long, exhaustive journey, and we knew the school would be our sign of stopping. When the school came into view, my heart almost lept out of my skin with the joy of being so close to being finished. That school became my olive branch, letting me know that there is an end to this struggle, even if i created it.

That day is a wonderful memory of many things. I rode a hundred miles in a day. I conquered my own self-doubt, when i wanted to quit, i didn't. And a school, promising rest, a cold shower, and great food, can be the greatest oasis one needs after accomplishing a goal. This day was my flood moment. That school was my olive branch/dry ground.

I rehearse this story, because Noah had to have had many moments, during his year long journey in the ark, questioning whether or not he could/would make it. When his children whined, Noah stayed the course. When the sun didnt shine for 40 days, Noah stayed the course. When they simply rocked back and forth for 150 days, Noah stayed the course. And when he opened the window and saw dry ground, Noah stayed the course.

And yet, i believe when God opened the ark and told Noah to exit, that land that he stepped down onto, for the first time in about a year, must have felt like the greatest soil his feet had ever touched. This land, whereever it is, was his oasis. It was the promise land. It was Zion. It was heaven. It was every prayer answered. It was the end of his journey, and now he could rest. He had conquered the ark and the challenge of rescuing creation.

What does a bike ride and a ride on an ark have to do with us? A lot. Many times in our lives we find ourselves traversing new roads, new paths, or difficult waters, wondering what to do next? Will we cave to the temptation to quit? Will we find someone else to do the work? Will we grow tired of the promises? Or. Will we, like Noah, stay the course? Will we, like my group of cyclists, go the full 100 miles, no matter how hilly, hot, or exhausting the journey may be? Because if we do, if we persevere, we will taste the sweet fruit of our own oasis.

We will step down onto dry ground, just as Noah did. We will get off our bikes and drink deep of the freshest, sweetest, water one can find. And we will see life differently and God differently. Our faith will have matured. Our understanding of ourselves will have grown stronger. And our ties as a community have faith will be unbreakable. It all can and will happen, if we only stay the course, united in our faith in God and each other.

Oh yeah, one more thing, when i finished my 100 miles, as exhausted as i was, i sang a song to God, because He got me through what i didn't have the strength to do myself. I sense this is what all people do, when they realize God brought them through. Noah offered a wonderful sacrfice to God, first thing, that brought a smile to God's face. Jacob built an altar to God after wrestling with the angel. And you and I, all of us, when we find our oasis, must worship God like we have never worshipped Him before, because only God can bring us to that oasis.

Have a great week, and i will see you when i get back from conference...

Amen and Shalom,
jerry