Bike Riding Lessons

One night about three weeks ago, a good old friend messaged me, “How is OSU?” Without hesitation I replied, “It has taught me how to ride a bike!” Yes, indeed. In my first month at IFI, bike riding is not only a new skill, but also a new lifestyle through which God sent many blessings.

Friendship

After I moved in, I soon noticed my host housemate Bruce to be a mature brother-in-Christ and an avid fan of biking. Bruce gladly lent me one of his many bikes to practice and took me out for rides once I was able to keep the bike going. Had I not had Bruce as my housemate, I might not have learned to ride a bike. In addition to our continuous spiritual conversations that strengthen my faith, our biking tours bond us as close friends. My friendship with Bruce has become one of the best gifts from ISEED training.

I have also been on bike tours with two coworkers and two students, all of which turned out to be great bonding experience.

In the future, I pray to develop more friendships and ministry opportunities from bike riding.

God’s Perfect Timing

Growing up, I always have the privilege of living close enough to walk to school. I guess this has developed my habit and love of walking around. Although I always longed to ride a bike, life situation never forced me to learn. But this time around in Columbus, I tried hard because ride a bike to work could significantly reduce my commuting time. With some scratches, bruises, and mosquito bites, I finally learned. And once I could ride a bike, I fell in love with it. Whether it’s coasting on trails along rivers and fields, dashing downhill with breakneck speed, or enjoying the shadow of my flowing hair cast by street lights at night, I am in love with biking!  As a matter of fact, this blog post is dedicated to how God has been blessing me through bike rides.

I always wanted to ride a bike, but when God made it happen by bringing me to IFI in Columbus and my housemate Bruce, He also gave me so much more in this seemingly simple activity. Right now there are many uncertainties and longing in my life that I don’t even have the smallest hint of how to clear up and fulfill.  But this recent bike riding experience has reinforced my faith in God’s perfect timing and given me great joy in what he provides here and now.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Attending Prayer

Attending Prayer is a wonderful class taught by Karen about how to hear from God. Bike riding has turned out to be great communication time with God. One night after work, I felt so distraught that I chose to ride to OSU campus, hoping some outdoor activity would lift my spirits. As I was riding aimlessly around the campus, I felt God spoke to me loud and clear.

Now in retrospect, I think riding on bike-friendly routes allows me to keep minimal attention on traffic and have a peaceful mind to pray to and hear from God. That night when I was riding a bike, God lifted my burden by giving me clear instructions. What a relief that was! Since then, I have been appreciating bike riding as prayer times more and more. As I paddle gently with the peace of mind, the Spirit fills me from fresh breeze and natural beauty, bringing me ever so intimate with Him.

Dependence and Thanksgiving

Since I started to room together with two other brothers-in-Christ in my sophomore year, Christian friends have become not only people I live life and follow Christ with, but also my English trainers, cultural advisors, drivers and housing providers. In June and August, the same friend drove me from Champaign, Illinois to Columbus, Ohio and drove back the first time with his girlfriend, and the second time by himself. Having long been on the receiving side of the relationship, I deeply wish to be able to do things for other people and to take better care of myself.

Riding a bike reduces my commuting time from 25 minutes to 10 minutes. With greater ability of transportation comes greater sense of independence, a false and alarming thought that I finally don’t have to dependent on other people to give me car rides. I believe our relationships with other people ultimately mirror our relationship with God. If merely being able to ride a bike could give me such an inflated ego, will I still put my dependence on God when I learn to drive a car, or when technology one day allows me to teleport with a snap of fingers?

In Attending Prayer class yesterday, Karen told us a painting about a father giving a puppy to his daughter. During this joyful event, the father’s attention is focused on his daughter, whereas the daughter’s attention is focused on the puppy. Often we, like the daughter in the painting, rejoice in our gifts, but not in the love of the Giver.

When God blessed me with bike riding, I almost treated it as a ladder to independence from other people. But in this experience, God has taught me to realize the gifts in my life are from him and I should be dependent and thankful.

Satisfaction in what God gives

One afternoon when reading a book on cultural differences in the business world, I came across a brand name of a bike: Surly Long Haul Trucker. After work, I went to a local retail store to check the bike. At the bike shop, I was not surprised by the price of the bike, but surprised that the 1300-dollar price tag did not at all deter my material desire. Considering all the good things that had happened with bike riding, I could have easily rationalized a purchase. But as I was thinking whether to buy or not, something Karen had shared with me came to my mind, “Sin is to acquire by force of what God would give by grace.” Upon hearing this message again, I was reminded that if God had not assigned Bruce as my housemate, I might not have learned how to ride a bike. And none of the subsequent blessings were from an eye-pleasing bike.

In Bruce’s house, there are 6 or 7 bikes, just like in the 
Garden of Eden there are plenty of fruits. Based on what Adam and Eve did, and my personal experience, I modify what Karen told me to, Sin is not being satisfied with what God gives us freely and abundantly, but seeking in our own ways of what we think will satisfy ourselves. Later Bruce had his worst bike totally tuned up for me. The bike now is good as new. And I am so happy with what God gives me for free!