Bro. Kaske was preaching tonight on faith and I got some ideas which I would like to add. He told a story about a guy who was taken up in one of those old open-cockpit airplanes to see his farm from the air. When they landed, the pilot (his son if I remember the story correctly) asked him if he enjoyed the view. The guy said that there was a lot of beautiful scenery but he didn’t enjoy any of it because he was preoccupied clamping his hands to the seat and hanging on for dear life. Bro. Kaske was saying that all too often we cannot trust humans and things made by them but we can always sit back and relax when God’s in control.
This reminded me of a couple years back when I was at valleyfair with some friends and we were riding the wooden rollar coaster called “high roller.” This particular ride has a lap bar and a seat-belt to keep you in. We were riding with our hands up, trusting the engineering and construction of men and the ability of the rollercoaster to withstand time. We came up to the top of a short hill and The G-forces threw us upward against the restraints, and suddenly we felt the seat-belt let loose. Our hands went straight down to the lap bar. We survived the ride but I’m pretty sure I haven’t been on it since. I’m enough of an idiot that I’d probably ride it again but I just haven’t had a reason to. They do have several more exciting rides after all.
With God we don’t have to worry about the protection He provides; it will always hold. When we leave God in control of a situation we can just sit back, throw our hands up (metaphorically but also literally), and enjoy the ride, although the ride won’t always be fun. So whenever you’re in a trying situation, just throw your hands up, worship God, and leave it in his hands. God will always come through for you, but it’ll be on his time, in his way, so don’t get discouraged when things don’t turn out quite the way you expect. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Wow I think I would never go on a roller coaster again if the seat belt gave out. Yikes!
The funny thing is that, as vicious as that ride maybe used to be, there are far more intense rides at Valleyfair now. In fact, when I went on it, I got the impression that you could probably survive without any restraints at all. As long as you didn’t do anything stupid, like jump at the top of a hill. But you’re right, God will never fail us, no matter how big or small the ride is. He even has restraints built into the kiddie coasters.
I remember that, Ryan. That trip was definitely an experience.