Eating asphalt

My buddy and I were riding one day through a small Georgia town. He was on his Honda Nighthawk and I was, or course, on my Harley Davidson (smiling). He had been doing some work on the bike—the carbs were gummed up—and this was his maiden voyage. As we went into a rather sharp curve (I was in the lead), I noticed out of my peripheral vision that he kept going straight, went through the parking lot of a business that sits dead in the curve, then through a ditch—his whole behind came off the seat—then he slide to a stop and fell over.

I quickly turned around to see if he was okay. A multitude of thoughts ran through my mind. What the heck did I just see? Why did he do that? Is he hurt—you know. As I pulled up and almost dropped my bike to run to his aid…there he stood, hands on his hips, looking at the bike sort of like a cowboy looks at a horse that just threw him. He looked up at me and said, “The throttle was stuck.” Once I saw he was okay—I burst into laughter with tears rolling down my face. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen as I replayed the sight in my head, now knowing that he was okay.

He was lucky, for sure. I have seen some bad wrecks in my time and I have been down twice myself. Most of the time a wreck on a motorcycle means a trip to the local emergency room, even a small wreck. The main point here—he got back up and rode again. I have seen several bikers over the years (or I should say motorcycle enthusiasts) eat some pavement and never get back in the saddle.

I think this draws a great parallel to our faith as Christians. How many times do we fall, sin, go back to old habits, or lose focus and end up away from church, the flock, and Jesus for days, weeks, and often times, years.

I heard Doctor Charles Stanly give a message on the radio the other night telling his audience about how God will often challenge us to help us see our week areas. He, God, dose not challenge us because he can or because he enjoys torture—He loves us! Jesus said this about Gods love for his children:

9 Or what man is there among you [a]who, when his son asks for a loaf, [b]will give him a stone? 10 Or [c]if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! (Mathew 7:9-11).

I have wrecked motorcycles and I have wrecked my life and others lives at times—God forgives. If you have eaten some asphalt—get back in the saddle! If you have fallen away from Jesus—get back on your knees and pray—he will forgive you. We are all, at times, “The prodigal son.” We are all, at times, the one lost sheep that the Shepard leaves his flock to seek out (Luke 15:3-7).

Get up…turn the other direction…and walk in your new victory.