Just like riding a bike again...

Today I learned something new or more so found out an old saying was true….you never actually forget how to ride a bike. It's been a good 30 years since I last rode one. And even though I was wobbly at first I kept peddling and off I went. Up hills. Down hills. Wind rushing in through my hair. A sense of utter freedom as I sailed down the hills of my neighborhood.

Bike Chain in Black and White

And I remembered something else while I struggled to stay upright on those 2 wheels. No matter how long it's been, you can always turn back to God. It's just like riding a bike. You start and you keep pedaling…

Or in this case praying. You might feel a bit wobbly. Maybe worried you might mess up and fall. But God is there to welcome you back...He'll rush over to you, help keep you upright and catch you when you fall.. He'll dry your eyes and heal your wounds. Because He's God. He's Abba. He’s our good, good Father.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). A father had two sons and the younger one demanded his inheritance right away. So the father gave him his portion of the estate. Shortly after, the younger son left to enjoy his life and his inheritance. He partied, he lived wildly, and he squandered it all away. Eventually, he was penniless and was forced to do demeaning work in a pig field. He realized that his father’s servants and field workers were treated better than he was treated and so he went home to work. Upon his arrival, the father ran out to greet him and dressed him in the finest robes and shoes. He hugged him and welcomed him back home. His father celebrated the return of the lost and wayward son.

And that is how God responds when we find our way back to Him. He opens His arms to us, drapes us in the finest robes, puts rings on our fingers, and rejoices with the angels in heaven.

The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Wheeled

That is because no matter what, we are His children. Yes, we may have roamed off. Yes, we may have squandered our lives, lived recklessly and sinned against Him. We may have even denied Him. But that doesn’t matter. Not when you are returning back to Him. It doesn’t matter if you turned away for a day, a year, a decade, or a lifetime. All you need to do is call out to Him and He will be there.

He will rescue you. He will comfort you. He will fight for you. He will provide for you.

Spoked

It’s impossible to understand His absolute love for us. His unconditional love for us. We are used to conditions, restrictions, limits. Even at our best, we just can’t fathom it. He doesn't get tired or fed up with our mistakes. He forgives us time and again. I've never heard him say to me, “Cat...I'm just tired of your envious and prideful ways. You keep telling me you are sorry, you keep telling me you want to change but you don't. Cat...it's over.”

No. He forgives no matter how many times I mess up. He welcomes me every time. He doesn't hold a grudge. He is committed to us.

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Psalm 86:15

Reflected

And I know that He will accept you, no matter what, because He did it for me. I know he will break down doors and move mountains to get you back because He did it for me. Even when I was partying and living a wild life, He protected me. I always knew it. I could feel it. But I didn’t care. Even when I denied Him, looked at other “ways”' to be enlightened, He was there waiting for me. I could feel His hurt but I was defiant and didn’t care. But when I finally realized how much I did need Him, how my life was a wreck without Him, how empty and lost I was, and turned back to Him, called out His name, He was there. He was pulling me back to Him, removing anything that stood between us. I could feel Him comforting me, telling me it was all going to be ok. I could feel the Spirit warming my cold heart, healing my emotional wounds, and building me back up. I didn’t have to do anything to earn this. I didn't have to wait until He was ready. I didn’t have to perform good deeds to repay Him. All I had to do was call His name. All I had to do was say I needed Him and wanted Him in my life. And in that moment, I went from a lost nobody to His daughter, heir to the kingdom, a princess of God! His princess!

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

1 John 3:1

Geared

Of course, I had to learn how to walk with Him again. Learn how to make good decisions and obey Him. I had to get to know Him. Fully know Him. I had to learn how to read His Word, learn how to hear His voice. But just like riding a bike, I started slow and just kept pedaling. Wobbly, yes, but I kept going. And every moment I spent with Him, I got stronger and more sure of myself. More sure of Him.

So, if you’ve lost your way, left your Father’s home, it’s not too late. You can go back to Him whenever you want to. Don’t worry about not being worthy. You are. Don’t worry about what you’ve done. He is here for you. Always. He sent His Son for the sinners, to gather them, His lost sheep, back to Him. You are worthy. You are forgiven. He is waiting for you. Just turn back to Him and call out His name. His arms are waiting to embrace you. Just get back on the bike and start pedaling.

Keep finding the light...

To view the entire Bicycle collection, visit https://www.catmarkelphotography.com/abstractindustrial