Roller Coaster Ride

Roller Coaster Ride

by Marsha Iddings

 

1Peter 1:6-7 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

 

My husband and I both have conditions that wax and wane.  Some days are very good and some days are very bad or in between.  When a homeschool friend of mine saw me at the store and asked me how I was doing,  I replied with, "Pretty good today!"  She smiled and made roller coaster motions with her hand and said, "Pretty good today, huh?"  She shared with me about how her kids have had the chicken pox one after another and I sympathized with her.  As we parted ways, I said, "Life is a roller coaster!  Just buckle up, hang on and enjoy the ride!"  After she left, I was kind of shaking my head wondering where that came from. It just seemed to fly out of my mouth and came from nowhere.  I had never even had that thought in my head prior to saying it.  It must have been a God-thing. It gave me something good to think about the rest of the day.

 

My physical therapist has often told me that I am on a roller coaster.  He says that there will be days when I'll just coast along and things will be good and then there will be days when I'll come rushing down and not be doing so well.  He has told me that I just need to remember that each time I hit the bottom, I will eventually come back up again just like on a roller coaster.  I have often thought about this, but until the other day I never thought about "buckling up, hanging on and enjoying the ride". 

 

I puzzled over the part about enjoying the ride.  How can I enjoy the ride when I am not feeling well or my husband is not doing so well?  The Lord gave me a verse about this.  It's the one at the beginning of this devotional.  What are we to rejoice in?  The prior verses to this tell us:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5)  I can rejoice in God's mercy, my lively hope in Christ, my inheritance in heaven, and God's saving and keeping power.

 

So, my friend, are you on a roller coaster ride through life?  Buckle up, hang on and enjoy the ride with me!

 

Dear Father, Sometimes You put words into my mouth that I never even thought of before.  This time You've done it again and it has encouraged me a lot.  Thank You for Your love.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

 

 

 

Visit my blog
http://middings.blogspot.com