Expecting the unexpected.
That’s pretty much how we ride isn’t it? You never know what’s in the curve up ahead or what’s just at the tip of the light beam at night. Sometimes it’s that thrill of the unknown that keeps the adrenalin pumping through our veins and pushes us to get on that bike just one more time! I think the Rider’s course called it Murphy’s Law, just when you think it isn’t going to happen, it will! That’s just life in general!
Had a friend contact me for prayer on their way to an off-road event because they blew a tire on their toy hauler, sheered the valve stem on the tire beside it and by chance rolled right into a garage that may have just what they need. The unexpected. You cannot prepare for it. Yes, there was a spare tire on the camper, but not a valve stem. So, what do you do when the unexpected happens? Certainly, you can scream and carry on like a crazy person, draw up into a fetal position and melt into the wall, call all of your friends and cry ‘Why me? Why me?’ There are so many ways to react when the unexpected comes our way! Like my friends for example. They didn’t freak out, they assessed the situation, changed the tire that went flat, and then called on a friend to pray for a good outcome, and that is what they got! They limped to the next exit and pulled into a church parking lot right off the exit, looked across the road and there was a tire warehouse right in front of them!
You see, there is always a path to follow in the time of the unexpected and there is not anything that surprises God. He is always prepared and has many times tried to put delays in our path, tried to remind us to check things out, like get new tires on the camper. Have you ever wondered why you had a little bit of a nudge in your gut about something or just didn’t feel right about going somewhere and decided to stay home, only to find out there was a serious accident on the same route you were going to be on? God’s protection. It’s why we do bike blessings. It’s actually for your protection so you can be seen while you ride your machine. Believe me…you are surrounded by an army of angels; however, you still need to use wisdom. The unexpected is determined by cell phone users and all other kinds of distracted drivers and obstacles out there. It’s also determined by our clear heads, so be kind to yourself and pay attention, enjoy the beauty of the ride and the privilege to be on the machine. God is going to see us through the unexpected, He’s not intending for us to suffer needlessly, He knows it’s part of the life we live here, but that wasn’t His first choice. You also have to remember that the unexpected isn’t always a negative thing either. In my story about the tire, the unexpected flat was bad, but the unexpected warehouse was a blessing! There is an old saying that every cloud has a silver lining if you look for it. The key is looking for it. The first thing most people do in any bad situation is to ask why did God let this happen? But did you ever hear anyone ask in a good situation why did God let this happen? I will let that sink in a second….
Of course not. It is not God’s desire for us to live a life of constant struggles, but trust this, when we have the surprises arise, He will be there to answer the call and bring about a positive solution and a good outcome to all. Even in the most tragic of circumstances.
Ride Safe, Be Blessed and Pay Attention!
Mary G
