Mtr Margaret Babcock

Dear Friends,

Chuck and I taught our five-year-old grandson to ride a bike. He had seen us riding two-wheelers and been told for a year that his training wheels were temporary. Still, hours of trying to ride in this new way, with resulting falls and scrapes, led him to doubt whether it was really possible.

Finally, I told him to just sit on the bike, close his eyes, and imagine himself riding it—looking straight ahead, pushing the pedals confidently, holding the handlebars steady. On his next try, he managed a wobbly ride to the edge of the parking lot where his grandpa stood waiting to catch him.

A new reality was born for him. Although it took a while to become second nature, he never looked back.

This memory surfaced when I read about the disciples huddling together in sorrow after Jesus’ crucifixion, refusing to believe eyewitness accounts that Christ was risen. I suspect that, stunned and in fear of being arrested themselves, these men had regressed emotionally and in faith. I sympathize… it must have been like someone ripped the training wheels off the new understanding of God they’d been practicing with Jesus.

When Christ finally does visit them after his resurrection, he doesn’t chide them for their collective fall—deserting him as he was dragged away to die. There is not one word of blame for that. 

Instead, he upbraids them for not believing what is possible now. I picture him saying, “We went over this, remember? God’s love is greater than any disaster or systemic evil. It’s the power you accessed when I sent you out to heal and encourage people. It’s the power that conquers even death. God’s way of love is the reality that you get to live and share.” 

We are only six days out from celebrating Easter’s miracle. Most of us still have training wheels on our faith. We want to ride boldly into God’s reality of love, yet don’t quite trust that full commitment can change our world.

Let’s close our eyes. Imagine: What does it feel like to give our hearts completely to God, to trust this way of love and do those things which we are called to do?

Now, with eyes open and the brokenness of the world before us, let’s try again… trusting that our wobbly efforts will always end in God’s embrace. 

Blessings,

—Mtr Margaret