On a cool spring day the sun felt good on my back. I was an hour away, or
so I thought from my motel, but over the horizon I could see the darkness. Even
in the rolling hills of Ohio storms can move fast, faster than I was riding, and
soon, even though blinded by the sun in my mirrors, I was riding in the dark.
Then the rains came in buckets, where is an exit when you need one? Finding one
I got off quick, only to find a Mazda hood deep in the rain, it had been raining
and I had entered into a flash flood. So without stopping, I rode through the
water, up to the Triumph lettering on my Tiger’s tank, not the smartest thing,
and then once on dry ground, as in not under water, pulled into the first gas
station I could with an overhang. Just as wet in my rain suit as I was outside
of it. Now motorcycles must be a strange sight in this part of Ohio, as all
eyes were on me, couldn’t be my appearance or the rain, could it, which now was
only a soft downpour. But while filling up, a loud boom from an explosion shook
the building, lightning had hit the bowling alley just 200 feet away! And I was
worried about the rain? I had never seen the rain coming, now I certainly
wasn’t expecting lightning! Suddenly the safety of a gas station in a lightning
storm was the worst place to be, but I stayed there as the fire engines raced by
within a few feet to respond to the fire. When James Taylor wrote “I’ve seen
fire and I’ve seen rain,” I bet he never saw it from the seat of a motorcycle in
Ohio! Which would be hard to explain a few minutes later, when the sun broke
out again....even the lady at the motel was wondering why I would be wearing a
rain suit on such a nice day. Which made me wonder too....
Scripture tells us the rain falls on the just and the unjust. Those who
ride are not exempt. I blamed the sudden change in weather on being in Ohio,
living in So Cal we are not used to rain, there it is a way of life. But
sometimes I underestimate God, thinking he only gives me what I want, as in no
problems, sunny days with dry roads, and enough time and money to ride them.
Yet some days that Yellow Brick road doesn’t lead to Oz, but the odd. And it
can happen when you aren’t riding. Ask one Joseph, who through no fault of his
own, was sold into slavery by his loving brothers at age 17, ending up in the
Pharaoh’s house, and for 13 years served there, until Mrs. Pharaoh had the hots
for him. Sounds like the Clinton White House. Ending up jailed on false
charges when he refused her, he had to think at times “what the heck is going
on?” Ever have a day like Joseph? But God had put him where he wanted him to
be, and soon he was in charge of food distribution under the Pharaoh, seems you
cannot keep a good man of God down. And the irony was when his brothers fled to
Egypt for food during the famine, they had to deal with Joseph, whom they
thought was dead and didn’t recognize. But being gracious to them, after a gold
cup incident had them arrested, Joseph was reunited with them, and his father.
Maybe just another Hallmark Channel love story to some, but to God it was all
about Jesus. Say what....
From the beginning it was God’s objective to send Jesus to redeem us, and
for thousands of years he was prophesized. But without Joseph, his lineage
would have been interrupted, you see Jesus can trace his lineage through
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Jacob being Joseph’s dad. So despite all the objects
and turmoil the enemy threw at him, God had everything under control. Joseph
was an intricate part of the plan, and a lesson to all of us of how what the
devil would like to be for bad, that God means it for good. Joseph was right
where God wanted him, where his brothers needed him, and what we need today. We
need Jesus....and every route we are on will lead to him. If we trust
God....
So although that day I might have had the sun at my back, I also had the
Son of God, the great shepherd, ahead of me. In the sudden downpour, he was
with me, somehow guiding me through deep water I should have stalled or could
have drowned in. I can still see the Mazda with water covering its hood to the
windshield. Where I thought was safe was dangerous, lightning confirming the
danger. And then the rainbow after, and no proof of what had happened.
Lightning can strike at any time, so can flash floods, but so can Jesus. My few
hours of Ohio weather seemed to me like an interruption at first, but in looking
back I saw God’s hand on it and me. Joseph endured decades. A miss by that
much is still a miss. Yet many dodge lightning their whole life, thinking they
are lucky. When God has everything under control. Don’t make the same mistake
with Jesus. After the storm passes, what do you remember, who do you give
credit for saving you? Or do you still curse the one who can save because of
the rain? We will all have our moments, I’m glad God is included in
mine...
Now we may never be destined for greatness in the eyes of the world, but in
God’s eyes we are precious, he plays no favorites. When the disciples tried to
brag on some being better, it was Jesus who set them straight. For all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But to those he offers mercy and
grace. If I had known what was ahead I would have taken a detour, but God had
my road determined. A chance to show his love and mercy, to extend his hand to
rescue, and show me how close we can come to death, and how he is even closer.
I saw the clouds, but I never saw the flash flood or the lightning striking the
bowling alley. Looking back though, it should have all made sense. Where else
would you expect to find a strike other than a bowling alley....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com