It is true that you never forget your first ride, and in Michelle Little’s
case, dozens of us won’t either. For her first ride was with us on Torches
Across America in 2005, a ride to honor and remember those who died on 9-11, and
her ride was a special one, as she was riding to remember her brother David
Weiss, who was among those killed when the towers collapsed. As a member of
Rescue 1, he was doing his job that morning when the towers went down, and
Michelle lost her brother forever. So her first ride was to be an emotional
ride, a long ride, and as a passenger behind Don Snyder, who she only met the
night before we left Oceanside, on our way To New York City, she and Don would
have an interesting ride. Being a passenger is one thing, but so is taking a
passenger, particularly one who had never ridden before. She learned when and
where Don went, so did she. Pottie breaks are prearranged, and sitting for over
3000 miles takes patience, endurance, commitment, along with compatibility,
forgiveness, and dealing with a lack of sleep. But both made it, no major
skirmishes, and every day you could see Her becoming more of a biker. Her
outfit changed with her attitude, and she learned helmet head is a badge of
honor among those who ride, and speaking each night at the ceremonies along the
ride, you could see her becoming one of us, aided along by the other girls on
the trip. In Ohio I watched as she and another lady cried together, for both
had lost brothers there that day. I watched as she showed some others her
brother’s name on the Wall of Remembrance we carried with us. And I even got to
visit with her, answering her questions about riding, being a biker chick, and
sharing Jesus more than once in comforting her in an emotion filled ride. By
the time we got to Cerrini’s Harley Davidson in Rostraver, Pennsylvania, she had
ridden almost 3000 miles, grew to tolerate Don, and he her, Don being in his
70’s at the time, and the owner’s family gave her some Harley boots, and
designated her a real biker. She had earned the title, and like I said, many of
us will never remember Michelle’s first ride. Nor Torches Across America,
friends and memories that will forever be embraced in our hearts.
Now when you first started to ride, did you start off like Michelle, on a
3000 mile ride? On the back with a stranger? Or were you content to just close
your eyes and hang on? And when you finally felt the desire, to some of us the
need, to ride yourself, did you immediately want to learn to wheelie? To
stoppie? To ride 100 miles per hour? Or were you like most, just happy to get
into first gear without stalling, and putting the brakes on without falling.
Remember the great sense of accomplishment when you did both, and when you
finally got your license and the road called, you were a rider, says so right
here on my license. But you still had a long way to go, as you cannot teach
experience, as Michelle and Don learned, and so as your riding time grew, you
went further, faster, and rode longer. When Theresa got her license, it was
never on the freeway, never over 55, then OK on the freeway, and finally me
trying to keep up with her at 85mph. She even lead a group of bikers to the
Billy Graham Crusade one year, some 50+ bikers following a girl on her baby blue
Triumph, and she had said never. If only they had known who they were
following. I‘ll bet Michelle had at least thought never, or never again many
times, but both honored the commitment to ride, and I have tremendous respect
for both. Lots of little steps, completing one mile before going the next, a
pattern for life, and a way God shows us to live, and pray.
When Jesus had spent some time with His newly formed group of 12, they had
little knowledge of who He was, or how He was about to change their lives
forever. And you can only imagine the conversations this group of fisherman and
anarchists, and a tax collector had with Him. But many find it strange that of
all the things recorded is when they asked Him how to pray. Not how to cast out
demons, not how to prophesy, not how to cater a wedding,or feed a crowd of 5000,
they didn’t ask to attend a conference on life on the road, or how to go out
witnessing. They asked how to pray, not even realizing that to build a
relationship with God that it is most important. And when Jesus responded with
what is commonly known as the Lord’s prayer, although it could be called the
Disciples Prayer, he didn’t tell them word for word, but showed them who and
where God is, why He was sent, how to treat others, and how to love others via
forgiveness. He showed them that heaven awaits, but you can have it here and
now, because Jesus is among them, and when He is gone, His spirit will remain to
guide them. Just like we would have asked, right?
So when I got a message from a lady who was working on her prayer life, I
would remind her and others that prayer is a conversation, a dialogue, not a
monologue. Imagine a conversation where you spoke for 3 minutes, then it was
the other person’s turn. That is not conversation. Imagine only asking, but
never taking the time to listen to and for the answer. Imagine you don’t know
the other one on the end of the line, what questions would you ask to know about
them, and what would you want them to know about you? It is through prayer,
then reading the Bible we get to know Jesus, and the more we know Him, the more
we trust Him. And soon you talk like old friends, with respect, sometimes with
awe, but always glad to hear their voice. Just like God is always glad to hear
from you...and soon you have a relationship with the God of the universe, on a
first name basis. Sound easy, don’t make it harder than it is. Take some time
right now and tell Jesus how you feel, how you need help, then listen for His
answer. He knows your voice, you don’t have to tell Him each time who you are,
and soon you recognize His voice also...the voice of a trusted friend.
I’m sure Michelle sent out many prayers during her ride, I know Don did,
and God answered them. We all made it, and some of us rode Torches again, and
again. Can you say that about your daily prayer life? Or is it only in church,
or when in need, or in trouble, or not getting your way? Do you trust the one
you ask to answer, and will you take His advice when given? Take some time
today and tell Jesus about something dear to you, He loves to listen. Share
about a ride, a date, a special time, and get to know Him. And then take time
to listen, and read, and get to know Him. Precious times with precious ones are
best when they are informal, when you can be yourself. Be yourself in Christ,
and never forget your first love, for that first love never forgets you. Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. The who, the where, and the
why of Jesus. That kingdom is coming soon, don’t miss out on the ride of your
life. Let’s pray.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com