a tandem bike

Several weeks ago, I heard a sermon in which the pastor related our relationship with God to riding a tandem bike.

"A tandem bike? Really?"

... I thought to myself.

. . .

The pastor went on to explain-

We are on this journey with God. He designed it so that He would lead and we would follow. For the sake of the pastor's analogy, God would be directing the bike, steering it, and guiding it in the direction it should go. Our role as the follower isn't to merely do nothing. We must first be on the bike-having a relationship with God.

And we must peddle.

To where?

Most of the time, we may not see where we are peddling to.

So we must trust.

We have to choose to trust in the One steering the bike-trust that He is good, trust that He is faithful, and trust that where He is taking us is actually the place we should be-even if we can't see that place yet or even if that place is unfamiliar.

. . .

I confess that most of the time, I choose to ride my own bike.

This bike doesn't even have a seat for God.

It only has room for me.

So, this bike just takes me where I think I need to go,

which is usually never where I really need to be.
. . .

I tend to be very weary and cynical when I hear cliche sayings such as these, "Your relationship with God is like riding a tandem bike."

These phrases tend to annoy me. Someone can't equate all the complexity of my relationship with God to a silly analogy.

However, there was something about the particular delivery of this analogy that has stayed with me for weeks.

Jesus spoke and taught in parables.

We are too dull and our mind's far too finite to understand the complex Truths and mystery of God. Isn't it amazing and so gracious for God to use this analogy- the idea of a tandem bike- something so simple, to teach an important Truth to a stubborn and selfish person like me.