The Wind

Left. Right. Left. Right... I’ve got to keep going!

I glanced up at the trail, squinting in the blinding sunlight. Another blast of wind from the right pushed me into the middle of the road. I wetted my chapped lips and forced myself back to the side. Bracing myself, I turned with the trail and biked directly into the wind. I ducked my head and concentrated on just moving forward. 

Left. Right. Left... 

*****

I’m not being over dramatic. This is the true story of the longest mile-and-a-half of my life! 

I did manage to learn a few lessons during this harrowing experience, for example: when my mom says it’s to windy to bike on the Thrivent Financial trail, I should believe her. Also, when heading west and the sun is setting, I should bring a pair of sunglasses.

All of these are good life lessons. But above all, I have learned to have a healthy respect for the wind. 

Did you know that there are tons of verses in the Bible that talk about the wind? Job has quite a bit to say about it, and so do the psalmists. I only want to talk about one verse though. Ephesians 4:14 says “...sent this way and that, turned about by every wind of teaching...” I have an appreciation for this verse that I didn’t have before. If we don’t have something to hold firmly to–to stand on–every new idea, every persuasive speaker, every friend’s opinion, and every teaching will have us reaching out desperately in a whirlwind of confusion for some truth. 

I can’t imagine living without God’s Word to stand on, can you?

 

Of Life, and of Angry Birds

Yes, I play angry birds. And, I’m even ashamed to admit that just yesterday, I spent nearly two hours hurling the same red, blue, white, black, and yellow birds at the same funny looking green pigs. Talk about wasting time!

But as I sat there on my phone playing this game, a thought came to me. This is what some people do in their lives (I’m no exception). We can spend all of our time and energy hurling everything we’ve got at the same obstacles over and over again. At best, the result is just wasting time, and worst, it can bring lives crashing to the ground.