While stopping in the new Triumph dealer here to get my fair share of
abuse, I encountered an older man, dressed head to toe in shiny leather. Before
he told me, I could tell he rode a BMW, but he went on as he also owned a Street
Triple, and had owned several adventure bikes. He had a bike for every type of
riding, following his own strict code of conduct riding, and when I mentioned I
have gone coast to coast almost a dozen times on adventure bikes, and
specifically mentioning riding in Pennsylvania last summer, he looked at me with
a blank stare, and asked “why would anyone want to ride east of the Rockies?” A
personal line of demarcation he had established for himself. And in my mind I
began to review riding Route 66 in Oklahoma and all the people and places, the
letter roads in Missouri, the Ozarks in Northern Arkansas, any road in southeast
Ohio, West Virginia where every 200 yards is another curve, the Ohio River
Valley in Indiana, the Berkshires in Massachusetts, routes 7, 7a, and 100 in
Vermont, the countryside and coast of Maine, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel,
Highway One to the Florida Keys, the Natchez Trace, Skyline Drive, and the ride
to Montauk Point on Long Island in New York. Long Beach, NY, and Long Beach,
Washington, not just Long Beach, California. And I could have gone on from
north to south also, but he would not have understood it, he had boxed himself
in by type of bike, and the geography it was designed for. He had read all the
articles, he just had never ridden them.....he failed to realize that where his
rides ended, mine were just beginning.
Just like motorcyclists and the bikes we ride and the roads we travel,
Christians too come in many shapes, sizes, denominational beliefs, and Biblical
interpretations. Years ago I knew of a pastor dying of cancer who didn’t
believe in healing, even taught it, and died miserably. More atheist like than
you would think of a Christian. I confronted another pastor once of his
changing the gospel to suit him, his claim he was using it as a tool for
evangelism. New Testament only churches denying the Old Testament, and missing
out on the fulfillment of the hundreds of prophesies about Jesus found there.
From false teaching about tithing, to scripture memorization, to doing what we
believe only in our church, we have become like the man I met, drawing an
artificial line that we won’t cross, and in that denying the holy spirit. A
study of books about the Bible rather than books of the Bible, studying and
memorizing to keep up a front with other parishioners, never enjoying just
reading the Pauline letters as the letters they were written, but quoting
chapter and verse. Knowing all about Jesus, just never knowing him personally.
Learning of his peace and patience, but never living it, never trusting the same
spirit that led them to Christ to lead them in Christ. Sometimes their lives
reflecting more of what they don’t believe rather than what they do.
Scripture tells us that where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.
We quote the verse, but do we live it? Dare we pray “thy will be done,” or do
we burden God with repetitious specious prayers, never listening for an answer.
Do we follow denominational guidelines rather than spiritual ones? Is your
whole Christian experience based on going to church, or as one sign found when
leaving the church, “here is where your ministry begins.” Do you believe in
heaven but still live like hell? Can we tell if you truly are a Christian
without the decals, t shirts and vests? What is it about you that would make
you want to be a Christian?
And so I got on my 112,500 mile Tiger and rode off. Reflecting on how many
places I have been, but more on how many places I have yet to visit. Same in
Christ, I have seen so much of his love and mercy, but have only scratched the
surface my worldly mind can handle. Everyday I see Jesus fresh and anew in
places and situations that occur daily, but when seeing him in them they give me
life. I see his mercy, appreciate his patience, am thankful for his kindness
and goodness. I am glad he is peaceful and not demanding, but also forgiving
and a friend. He is with me always even when I am not looking, yet he is
looking out for me. His love doesn’t end with my belief, but his. It is not
what I do, but what he has done, not who I am, but who he is. And being allowed
to walk in his spirit I have all of heaven available to me. A whole God, not
just a religiously holy one. And who knows the road you are on too.
Maybe that liberty expressed in scripture can be expressed in a Keith Green
song. “Thank you oh my father, for giving us your son, and leaving your spirit
till your work on earth is done.” Let the holy spirit breathe life anew into
you today, no boundaries on his love, go beyond the Rockies and see what lies
across the plains. For God so loved you personally, he gave his only son. One
law, that of love. Some read about the rides, some experience them first hand.
Some study about Jesus, some know him personally. Some go to church, some are
the church. True love demands a choice, and only Jesus allows us to make it.
To me every bike is an adventure bike, and my life is an adventure based on
Jesus Christ. Riding east of the Rockies never looked so good....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com