The Great Ride

I was just listening to an old song called We will Ride. I’ve always loved that song even when I couldn’t grasp it’s meaning.  It was popular back in my newly saved days when I thought that everything was going to be great as long as I could stay away from drinking, drugs, and boys.  Life has taught me that just because I am a changed woman and a Christian doesn’t mean that I am exempt from experiencing some bruises in this brutal world I live in.

Today the song had new meaning for me as I imagined my Lord sitting upon His horse ,holding out His hand, and beckoning me, “will you ride with me?”

I said yes to Him once years ago when my life was a mess and I had no other hope. But, knowing now what He really meant, would I do it all over again?

Would I still be willing to open my heart to love people who in tern stab me in the back? Would I be willing to lay down all of my dreams to be consumed by fire and blown away like ashes in the wind? Would I be willing submit my life and all that is important to me once again to a storm so strong it wipes away everything that is not eternal?

I closed my eyes tightly as I imagined myself reaching out my hand to His. Just like in my favorite love story, in an instant His strong arm swept me to the back of His horse and against His back. I held on tightly through the trees, up the mountain tops and swiftly down again. There were creeks to jump over and rivers to wade through. Sometimes it was light and warm and other times it was dark and cold and I  felt I needed to hold on tighter.

I have only been on one horse ride. It wasn’t at all like I had imagined with rolling hills, my hair bouncing in the wind and the feeling of freedom. Nope, I was in a long line of horses nose to butt slowly walking along a straight path. It was very safe, and very boring.

I have, however, owned a motorcycle in my teen years before the helmet law in California. Riders call it the iron horse.  I use to speed down the freeway weaving in and out of the traffic for and extra rush.

My husband use to like to go mountain biking and I am pretty sure he was always looking for some other terrain that had not yet been ridden. Hard core bikers don’t want to ride some nicely paved path. There’s no thrill in it. Sometimes, they will discover a place of great beauty and rest along the way, but they won’t linger there for long cause  there are more adventures to be discovered.

Jesus has called me to ride this ride with Him. When I said yes to Him he clothed me in white and promised that He would go before me. He would protect me always, but He never said it was going to
be easy.  There are bumps and bruises along the way, but I shall conquer this terrain. This is an adventure. It’s a thrill to be a part of what God is doing all over the earth. It’s time to take His hand and say, “yes Lord. I will ride with You”.