– Part II –

Briefly, let me bring you up to speed—excuse the pun!  You have a tandem bike which represents your new life in Christ as a believer, and as you begin your journey to the high places, you ask Jesus to pedal along beside you.  He is disappointed that you don’t want him to take the front seat, since he knows the way.  And it seems you aren’t willing to consult his road map, his Word for directions.  But you seem convinced that you’ll be just fine as long as he is on the back seat.

But as you pedal down the road, you begin to realize that you don’t know the way.  However, instead of consulting the Lord for his guidance, you choose to ask the local station attendant.  This also disappoints the Lord, and he tries to discourage you from taking that road to self-fulfillment which the attendant recommended.  However, it seems like it is such a good road, and everybody else is going that way, so again with Jesus on the back seat, you head down the road to self-fulfillment.

Finally, as you realize that this road is nothing but a dead-end, in utter frustration you finally admit that Jesus needs to take the front seat and control this journey.  So, you give him the front seat, but you want him to use your map.  You still want to control the destination.  However, Jesus patiently explains to you that if he is in the front seat, you must trust him to take you to the high places.  After much assurance from him that he has good plans for you, you finally agree to let the Lord take over this bike ride, and you jump on the back and start pedaling.  At first you’re so excited.

“Oh, Lord,” you say, “I just know we’re going to be to the high places any time now, because you promised me you’d take me there.”  He smiles quietly, and you keep pedaling.

After a while, you tap Jesus on the shoulder and ask, “Are we there yet?”

Jesus says to you, “My child, just keep pedaling.”

Another few hours pass.  And the pedaling seems harder.  You ask again, “Lord, are we there yet?”

He gives you the same response:  “Just keep pedaling.

This goes on a long time and the journey seems so tedious to you.  All of a sudden you see a large hill looming in front of you; in fact, it’s more like a mountain!

“Lord,” you say, “look at that mountain up there.  How in the world are we ever going to get over that mountain?  I’ll never be able to pedal up that mountain, Lord; it’s too big for me.  Are those the high places?  Oh, I’ll never get there!”

Jesus tells you, “Actually, that mountain is not the high places, but it is in our way and it could keep us from getting to the high places.”

Frightened and worried, you say, “Then what are we going to do?  We’ll just have to turn around and go back.”

Jesus smiles confidently and assures you, “Oh, no, that’s not necessary.  I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you'” (Matthew 17:20-21).

This sounds incredulous to you.  “Say to the mountain–just tell it to move?  Lord, that sounds crazy!”

Jesus says, “That’s because my ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts, but if you will have faith in me, that mountain can be moved.”

It still doesn’t make any sense to you, but since Jesus said it, you decide to just obey.  You tell him, “I’ve never seen a mountain move, but okay. . . if you say so, I believe it can.

There is a long pause.  “Well, go ahead,” Jesus prods you.

“Go ahead what?” you ask.

“Go ahead and tell the mountain to move,” he answers.  “You have to act on your faith.”

So, you gird up your courage, and with the little faith that you have, you say, “Mountain, you’re in my way and we’re going to the high places.  Nothing is going to keep me from getting to the high places.  Jesus is here and he has all power in heaven and earth and mountains are nothing to him.  So move!”

You feel foolish having told a mountain to move, but Jesus is smiling.  You look in his eyes and see the delight on his face, and you realize that because of your faith you have pleased him.  Tears well up in your eyes.  Jesus is pleased with you.  What a glorious wonderful knowledge it is to know that your faith has pleased him.  Then, of course, you remember that without faith it’s impossible to please him.

When you look up, you are stunned.  “Lord, no more mountain!” you shout.

Jesus says, “Yes, it has moved.  Come, the way is clear to the high places, let’s get going.”

And the two of you start pedaling again.  The journey is sweet for a long time, as you remember how Jesus moved that mountain.  Wow, you’ve never seen anything like that before.  But soon you notice that it’s getting hotter and hotter and the scenery is rather bleak.

“Are we heading into a desert, Lord?” you ask.  He doesn’t answer you.  That really puzzles you, because it helps so much when he speaks to you directly, but suddenly you can’t seem to hear him saying anything.  So you ask again, “Lord, is this a desert?  I really don’t want to go through a desert.  Please, Lord, no deserts.”

Still no response from the Lord, and you can no longer deny that you’re in the midst of a major desert.  It’s dry and lifeless and hot and there is no relief in sight.

“Lord, if this is what it takes to get to the high places, just forget it.  I’ll settle for staying right where I am.  It’s just not worth it going through this desert,” you tell him.  Still no response from him.  The wind starts to blow and the sand is in your face and now you can’t even see the Lord.  He must still be there because you’re still pedaling, but you can’t see your hand in front of your face.

“Where are you, Lord?” you cry.  “I can’t see you; I can’t hear you!  Lord, are you still with me?  I don’t like this desert; get me out of here, please.”

The hours wear into days and the desert never seems to end.  You are so weary you can hardly pedal at all, but the alternative of stopping in the middle of this desert seems even worse.  So, without hope of any kind, you simply keep going.

Finally, the wind seems to die down and the air seems cooler.  You look and there is Jesus, right up front, pedaling your bicycle.  He’s been there all along.

“Lord, why did you take me through that desert?” you ask.  “I thought I was going to die and you didn’t say anything to me.  I wasn’t even sure you were there.

Jesus quietly responds, “But you have my guidebook with you all the time, don’t you?  And surely you haven’t forgotten my promise to you. I promised I would never leave you or forsake you, so even when you can’t hear me or see me, you know that I’m there, because I promised I would be, and I cannot lie.”

Your heart is encouraged, your strength is renewed, and you are so thankful you didn’t quit out there in that desert!

A few days go by on this long road to the high places, and you are becoming tired.  The Lord stops and says, “You do need a rest, my child.  Here is a shade tree; let’s stop for a while for some nourishment.  Let me strengthen your feeble hands and steady your knees that are giving away.”

And with incredible gentleness and perfect timing, the Lord gives you a break from the pedaling and refreshes you with water from within you, like a well springing up.  You eat the meat and bread of his Word, which builds your muscles and strengthens your heart.  And you fall asleep like a baby under that shade tree next to the Lord.

As you fade off into sleep, you hear him singing softly, “O rest in the Lord, wait patiently for him, and he shall give thee thy heart’s desire; O rest in the Lord.”

After a wonderful rest, you waken refreshed by the Lord.  But now it’s time to start again.

“Why does it take so long to get to the high places?” you ask Jesus.

He says, “Because you have a great deal to learn on the journey.”

“Like what?” you ask again.

“Like perseverance,” he says.  “You know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance, and perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:3-4).

You find this amazing.  “Who me?” you say.  “I don’t feel very mature and complete.”

“I know,” Jesus says, “but when you get to the high places, you’ll be surprised at all you’ve learned and how you’ve grown.  And in addition, you’re developing your gifts now on the journey to the high places, and I will use your gifts to help others who are trying to get there.”

“Really?” you respond in amazement.  It has never occurred to you that you might be able to help others on the journey to the high places.

“Yes,” Jesus replies, “in fact, there’s someone on the side of the road now who looks pretty discouraged.  Why don’t we stop and you can use that gift of mercy which you have.

“I have the gift of mercy?” you respond.  “Wow!”  Then you speak to the woman on the side of the road. “I know how it feels when you want to quit.  I wanted to quit, too, a few days ago, but Jesus refreshed me, so now I’m back on the road again.  Would you like for me to sit with you while you take a nap?  I have a great lullaby I could sing for you.”

She welcomes your help, and you share with her the same wonderful song of hope that Jesus gave you.  You forget all about yourself as you try to help your fellow-traveler, and before you know it, several hours have passed.

“See,” Jesus says, “it’s not just getting to the high places that is important.  I have wonderful plans for you all along the way.”

“Maybe we can wait until she wakes up and take her along with us,” you suggest.  She’s a little bit crippled and she needs some help.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Jesus says, and sits beside you as you comfort your new friend you’ve found on this journey to the high places.

It’s an allegory, but can you see yourself clearly here?  Let’s just recap some of the lessons we learn from our tandem bike ride, and search our heart to see what roadblocks we are encountering in our trip to the high places with Jesus.

  1. Many of us want to make Jesus a part of our lives, even an important part of our lives, but we haven’t yet been willing to make him Lord of our lives.
  2.  As long as we can get along by driving the bike ourselves, we see no need for change. But life is not a smooth road, and inevitably we’ll come to trouble spots where we don’t know what to do.
  3.  We have a strong tendency to turn to the wrong people for guidance. Why? Because everyone else tells us we need help or counsel. Yet right with us on our very own bike we have the Wonderful Counselor. Why don’t we turn to him first?
  4.  Wrong roads look good to us – like the road to self-fulfillment.
  5.  Too often it’s only when we’re exhausted and don’t know what else to do that we are willing to let Jesus take the front seat.
  6.  We are afraid to give Jesus complete control because we don’t know for sure where he’ll take us.
  7.  We want to know the plan ahead of time.
  8.  Even after we give him the front seat—especially then—the road can seem very long and frustrating.
  9.  Any little mountain frightens us to death and makes us want to turn back or take the front seat again.
  10.  There will always be desert times when we can’t see or hear Jesus, but he is always there.
  11.  During the trip to the high places God is changing us into the image of his Son, even when we can’t see it happening. He uses us when we least expect to be usable.