Devo 10
11/11/99
"Roller-Coaster Ride"
Ah, the week has flown by once again. I come to the computer, pop in my Jill Phillips CD (which I recommend if you like that folk/pop kinda sound) and try to figure out what to write. Actually, I do plan ahead a little bit most of the time, but today's topic just came to me a couple of hours ago. First of all, this being the tenth edition, just for reading, you all will win a week long trip to Hawaii*.
*(No expenses paid, call local travel agent for prices and availability. Void where prohibited. Must be 27 years and 3 months old to be eligible.) But seriously: I actually have two things to discuss today. The first is a continuation of last week's devo, and the second is something that just occurred to me today.
A True Story:
Summer of '96 (hey wasn't that a song by Bryan Adams?). It was my first summer as staff out at TRC, but that doesn't really pertain. Towards the end of June, or beginning of July, I found out that some of my friends from First Free (my church here in Lincoln) were planning a weekend jaunt down to Kansas City and Worlds of Fun. I was excited since it was planned to allow me and Beth Nelson (who also worked at TRC that summer) to go and still be back by 2:00 on Sunday. I'll admit though, I was more excited about hanging out with my friends than about going to WOF. The reason: I hated roller-coasters.
This wasn't just because of all my grandma's anti-"rolly-coaster" propaganda, or my parent's reluctance to let me ride during childhood visits to the amusement park. No, I had actually tried one 5 years earlier on a band trip; the Texas Giant, America's largest wooden coaster. I was young and foolish then (a freshman in High School) and was curious. But after that harrowing first ride, besides losing my parent's camera, I vowed I would never ride a 'rolly-coaster' again.
This was the mentality I brought with me to my '96 visit. I would ride the 'tame' rides like the 'Fury of the Nile' or the 'Viking Boats', which we did, but forget the coasters. That Saturday, we started with a couple of easy rides had had a lot of fun, but then my friends had finished the appetizers and were ready for the main course: The Oriental Express! But, by some miracle (or because of our location in the park) we opted for the easiest of the three coasters, the Zambizi Zinger.
Slowly working our way through the line, I had plenty of time to convince myself that my fears were irrelevant, that I wasn't in any real danger at all. After all, thousands of people ride coasters every day without an incident. The only reason these things are scary is that they make you feel like you will at any moment fly from the car and plummet hundreds of feet to the ground below...but, hey, you have a little bar strapped across your waist, you're not going anywhere.
Needless to say, these arguments did very little to calm me and I started praying for a miracle. Sure, I could have just refused to ride with my friends, but peer pressure mixed with a liberal sprinkling of pride prove a very potent drink. Closer, and closer we inched to the head of the line and impending doom. Then the impossible happened! The line stopped! Something had happened with the roller-coaster which would require several minutes to repair. The relief was palpable as my friends and I jumped the little fence and exited the line where the birds were singing brightly and the flowers were more beautiful than ever!
Ten minutes later I was strapped into a car on the Orient Express.
Because of the way my friends came into the lines, I was left in a car by myself. As the cars slowly began moving forward, I looked up to see a hideous Oriental Mask grinning wickedly down at me...then everything went black as we dropped into a small tunnel leading to the first ramp.
Crawling slowly up to the peak I was literally terrified. I can remember looking around the car hoping to find an emergency brake. I honestly believe I would have pulled it if I had found one. Farther and farther away the ground went away, and being so high, my thoughts naturally turned to God. "I've gotten myself into another stupid situation God," I prayed. "There is nothing I can do to stop this roller-coaster and I'm terrified. Whatever happens to me here is in Your hands. You have total control over the outcome of this ride and I leave it in Your..."
The roller-coaster had crested the top by this time and my stomach felt like it would pop out through my back. Finally, the pressure on my stomach was relieved as I was jolted back to begin the next rise and turn into the first loop. And then I realized...THIS WAS FUN! The adrenaline was pumping, my blood was coursing, my hair was flying, my body was being flung every which way within my restraints, and I was having the time of my life. The first thing that came to my mind after that realization was my favorite Bible verse Philippians 4:13, and so I shouted it out at the top of my lungs, "I CAN DO ALL THINGS!" (catch my breath) "THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!" And then the ride slowed as we coasted back to the loading area. " WHAT, NO MORE?". My legs were wobbling as I stepped out of the car with a smile plastered on my face that wouldn't come off for the rest of the day. It sounds kind of corny (for a guy anyway), but I don't think it was any accident that the seat next to me was left empty...where else was God going to ride?
The rest of that day you couldn't keep me off of any of the rides (except for the ripcord, that's just insane), and one song was constantly flowing through my mind: "He gives me joy like I never knew..." was the first line, the rest I can't remember right now. I still get chills and a broad smile whenever I remember those first few moments after coming off of the Orient Express; I was indestructible. I had faced one of the greatest fears of my life and came through a changed man. The point I want to make is this: we will never know entirely what the future holds for us, and at times it will look like there is no possible way to escape a situation indestructible. But turn everything over to God, take what comes, and above all trust in His strength and guidance, and nothing will stop you. I know this conclusion sounds kind of trite and cliché, but don't dismiss the truth of it. In our weakness, He is strong. I've learned through this experience to not get too caught up in how I see the future unfolding, no matter how hopeless it looks, God will guide you through it if you give Him the chance.
Now, briefly the other thing I wanted to mention. It will sound kind of kooky (maybe) and irrelevant, but bear with me. I don't know what it is, but I love it when I randomly look up at the clock to see the time and find that it is 11:11 (told you it was kooky). There is just something about seeing all four digits showing the same number. I would always think something special would happen when I saw that, or maybe God was giving me some confirmation on whatever matter was going through my mind then. But whatever, I just liked seeing 11:11. Well, imagine my surprise this morning when I was writing a check and glanced at my watch to see the date--it was 11/11 (the time was actually after 12, but oh well). I then realized a little later that today is also Veteran's day. This is the day when we are supposed to remember all the soldiers who fought to ensure our independence. For us youngster's, that kind of hard to relate to since we have never really seen what a war is all about, or what it is to give our lives for something. Besides our grandparent's, and some parents, we really have no way to identify with this. Then I realized that yes, I do. Jesus cared for me enough that He sacrificed His life for me. And so today I have also decided to remember the Savior who died for my freedom and independence. 11:11 now has a new significance for me since it reminds me of 11/11, Veteran's day, and of the sacrifice of Jesus. Maybe something you will think about also next time you check on the time.
Well, that's enough out of me,