"GET BACK UP ON YOUR BICYCLE...AND KEEP ON PEDDLING!"

I have been absent for a few days and I do apologize....but every now-and-then I need a little me time; its in those moments when one of the following has occured: I've either ran my battery way below functionability, I've faltered in some area of my walk, or all of the above.

No matter the case, I needed to step away for a moment and make an honest inside observation concerning what I'm doing, why I do it, and  how I'm getting it done.

Let me confess that I am as flawed and imperfect as the next person; yet I expect nothing less than perfection from myself ; and when I fail, I'll dejectedly take a break to reflect... I guess you could say that's both the God in me and the Marine in me.

I never want to give anyone the impression that I've got it all together...that would be a great lie. The Apostle Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 11:4;

"Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishornereth his head."

I believe Paul is saying that those of us who have been called and chosen by God to proclaim and minister the Gospel are also called to be transparent. One of the reasons we were ever called in the first place is because we were in our past even more imperfect than we are today. (Reference Biblical characters such as Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Peter, and Paul...)

Many of our greatest Biblical heros had their flaws for which they repented of, and made no excuses for. But more importantly; they understood that to keep them hidden would have rendered their leadership and legacy ineffective...

Irregardless of our flaws; God has every intention on getting glory out of our lives according to his purpose. (Reference Romans 8:28)

So there you have it... try as I may, I'm not perfect and you won't hear me excuses my imperfection by saying that I'm only human...in my estimation, that's a cop-out.

However I refuse to allow my not being perfect to keep me from reaching my destiny in ministry, or my goal which is to make Heaven my eternal home. In laymens terms; I'm not giving up. Proverbs 24:16 states;

"For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again."

I'm reminded of the time when I was learning to ride a bike without the training wheels... I'd start peddling only to find myself getting up off the ground; this ritual lasted five days. The following day (Saturday) I was over my cousin Rob's house. He was a couple of years older and a bit wiser, so I asked him to teach me to ride.

Rob grabed his English Racer and we went into the street to begin my lesson. He would get on the back of the bike to help keep me balanced and then encourage me to keep peddling. After a while Rob jumped off of the bike without my knowledge, in which case I rode for a very good distance before falling. When I turned around to see if he was alright, I realized that he'd let me ride all by myself. At that moment my cousin yelled;

"You're ok, just get back up on the bicycle and keep on peddling, I'm watching you and I'll help if you fall."

For those who've come to the realization that you're as flawed as I am, just get back up on your bike...somewhere in the distance you'll hear Christ saying; "Lo, I am with you always...just get back up on your bicycle, and keep on peddling!"