Cycling with Daddy :)

When you first start out cycling, you ride with training wheels. It stops you from falling, you enjoy the fun of cycling without any scrapes or falls. The training wheels keeps you protected and secure.

But one day, Daddy says it's time to take off those wheels and learn to cycle on your own. So he takes the wheels off and you watch with a mixture of excitement and doubt. Inside you're wondering,what if I fall, what if i can't do it. 

Daddy turns to you and says, let's try this out now. You hesitate and you wonder if Daddy would let the training wheels be back on for just a little while more. He smiles and says,

"Don't worry, I'm here. Daddy's here, sweetheart."

So after much coaxing you warily board the bicycle and feel a sense of tension build up. There is a fear of the unknown but if Daddy is Daddy, he knows what he's doing. So you grip the handlebars tighter than before and gulp down the fear and say ok Daddy, I'm ready.

Daddy pushes the bicycle and tells you to pedal. Your bike feels steady and gains momentum as you glide and you pedal. Your fear begins to melt slightly because Daddy's hands are holding you and when the bike wobbles, he's quick to put it back straight when you call out for help.

Then the moment comes, Daddy says he's going to let go and tells you that no matter what keep pedalling. You look at him and feel like crying because once again you don't know if you can do it. Daddy smiles and says its ok honey, Daddy's here, try your best and remember to pedal hard. You can do it.

So you start pedalling harder and Daddy counts 1, 2, 3... and you're on your own. At first the momentum keeps you upright but since its your first time going solo on the bike, it gradually starts to lose speed and you begin to wobble. Your legs suddenly buckle and you panic. Crash! You're on the ground crying because you skinned your knee.

Daddy runs to pick you up and hugs you. He lets you cry your heart out and sob. When you quiet down, he raises your head and wipes the tears from your face and kisses that bruised spot on your knee. He tells you how brave you were to keep pedalling and that he's so proud of you.

But Daddy, I fell. I couldn't cycle well enough...

Daddy hugs you and tells you that the falling was part of learning. He asks you whether you knew why you fell. You tell him because you didn't pedal consistently and the handle bars were going crooked. Daddy asks if you know what to do better the next time and you say maybe. So Daddy says good and asks if you wanted to try again to get better at it.

After much thinking, you realise that as long as Daddy was going to be there, it didn't matter how many times you fell. Daddy was going to be there to help and make it all right.

So you get on the bicycle again and try. You fell again, but this time, you weren't that afraid of falling.In fact, you knew what you needed to avoid doing the next time. After a few rounds of falling and coaching from Daddy, you managed to cycle around the block without falling!

Daddy was so proud of his sweetheart :)

And from then on, you not only knew how to cycle; you also cycled TOGETHER with Daddy around the neighbourhood, and everyone knew just how good you were at cycling.

All thanks to Daddy

And I realise that being a child of God and learning to display the kingdom of God is the same. We receive salvation and begin our walk with feeling so secure, loved and protected. We take our baby steps of faith and learn about God. One day, we realise we're not just children who live on just milk, God begins to direct our paths and teach us to be grown up stewards of His kingdom.

Will we meet doubts? Yes.

Will we fear? Yes.

Will we fall and hurt ourselves? Yes.

But our God is first a God of love and He comforts, encourages and guides us patiently. He's like the father  who holds the handlebars and reassures you when you cry out to him for help. He's the father who will pick you up and hold you when you fall and hurt yourself. He never leaves you in a pitiful state, but comes straight to the rescue when you call out to him.

God is also a God of hope. He never gives up on you and keeps reminding you to try again and get better at everything you set your heart on - jobs, ministry, relationship, finances, emotional issues... EVERYTHING! He doesn't despise you for your weaknesses, He leads you by His love, not condemnation.

And when you succeed, He tells you just  how proud He is of you :)

Moreover, you get to partner with God as you allow Him access to more and more of your life.

So, have you gone cycling with Daddy lately?