From the whisper of the lover to the lion’s roar
The command of the commander upon the field of war
The instruction of the father, the laughter of the friend
I’ve heard every utterance and I can’t comprehend
Just why I can’t decide, I can’t make the choice
Is it Your word that I’m in love with
Or the sound of Your voice?
Oh speak, speak to me
Oh speak, speak to me
I’m as quiet as I can be
So speak, speak to me
From the Spirit on the water to the splitting of the sea
The beauty of Your form upon a raging Galilee
The cloud that filled the temple, the fire on desert sand
I’ve seen every step and still don’t understand
Why I can’t render a decision, I can’t seem to choose
Is it Your journey I’m in love with
Or just the way You move?
Oh speak, speak to me
Oh speak, speak to me
I’m as quiet as I can be
So speak, speak to me
I love the way You speak
In what You say and what You do
Give me ears so I can hear You
I need to hear You
From the burning of the bush that refused to be consumed
To the Spirit on a shepherd boy that ran through every tune
The terror of the King who carries vengeance in His hand
The love of the Messiah dying quiet as a lamb.
Oh speak, speak to me
Oh speak, speak to me
I’m as quiet as I can be
So speak, speak to me
crank…crank…crank
I suck in air as I climb a rising hill on my way to the office. It is so quiet. All I can hear is the creaking of my pedals as I roll them over. When the road lifts, I press on harder. I lift my cadence and I get into a better gear. And all I hear is the low whir of wheels on pavement. It is quite cold out this morning. Yes, it’s been colder. But 25F is still cold. And I see the evidence of my existence through the frosty breath I exhale.
And in that quiet and still time this morning, I saw a glimpse of His majesty. Oh, my heart can’t express the joy and serenity God has shared with me over the last twenty-four hours. We are doing a fabulous Bible study here at work. We are reading and discussing John Piper’s “Don’t Waste Your Life.” We talk and then we pray for one another. Then we pray for the people we can touch while at work. As we are nearing the end of this study, we have started planning for the next study. So my heart has been drawn to read Francis Chan’s book entitled “Crazy Love.” Of course, there are so many good books to read and study – including the word itself. But I was drawn to this book for a reason.
So I started to do a little research. I used Google to see what others thought about the book. And so I ran across a lot of amazing reviews. And I saw some great links to videos. One of the coolest was a link to images and video set to Chris Tomlin’s song “Indescribable.” That started a night full of God’s awesome presence.
And I woke to the same kind of joy. At first, I was challenged not to ride today. I was a little late in the shower. And I just wasn’t moving very quickly. So I was sorely tempted to ride with my wife and get a cup of coffee with her this morning. Please know that such a trip would have been awesome as well. But it was not what God had planned for this morning. It was clear that the enemy didn’t want me to ride. So he filled my heart with dread and fear about getting hit by some inattentive motorist. OK, maybe I am just a little paranoid. But you know something awesome is going to happen when the enemy tries to flip the fear trigger. So I reminded myself that the God who can move mountains can also move cars. And it was clear that God wanted me to ride. So I strapped on my ankle lights, laced up my shoes and headed into the darkness.
My ride is about sixty-five minutes long – when I ride in the dark. And every pedal stroke of the ride was a reminder of God’s grace. I have two legs and the strength to pedal. Thank you, Lord. I was reminded of the blood clot in my leg that the doctors found in August. Through His grace, the doctor’s skills and the miracles of aspirin and antibiotics, the clot dissolved in a matter of days. And I am riding more now than I have been riding in the past two years. Thank you, Lord.
I have lungs and the strength to inflate and deflate them. Thank you, Lord. I was reminded of my physical troubles this past spring. I had horrible trouble when I developed pneumonia (after a sinus infection). It was so very hard to breath. So I am thankful to Him for every breath I take – especially when I ride my bicycle.
And I have eyes to see with. Folks, sometimes it is hard to be thankful when you are legally blind. I don’t think I’ve ever been ungrateful for my lack of eyesight. But I am often not thankful for what I can see. I can see to ride my bike. I can see the smile on my precious grand-daughter’s face. I can see the jubilation, the consternation and the sexy curves of my wonderful wife. I can read the words of God written in a Bible. And I can ride my bike. I am so incredibly thankful for each image I see. Each is a precious gift from my Creator. Thank you, Lord.
And I have a mission while I am here on this world. I am called to channel God’s blessings to my family. I am called to represent God’s unfailing love to my wife. And I am called to share God’s steadfast love to my neighbors and to all of my colleagues at work. God trusts me with this mission. I don’t always share His confidence in me. But if He trusts me, who am I that I shouldn’t trust myself. Thank you, Lord.
Lord, in this holiday season, I pray that I can be totally transparent. I pray that people will see You when they see me. I want everyone to know the same love that I know. You are so awesome. And I love you so very much. Thank you, Lord.
-Roo
