Ride It With The King

Isn’t this an incredible view? This is taken from the top of a column in which you have to climb 165 circular stairs. Ugh! I will admit I did not take the climb this time, my husband and daughter did and they took this great picture from way up there.

Notice in the middle of the water…there is an extremely long bridge.

The Astoria bridge...it used to fill me with an almost crippling fear. As soon as we took the curve around the on-ramp and started to ascend to the upper portion my mind would fill with horrifying things like, the extremely high bridge collapsing.

As we make our descent down to the long flat part that rides close to the water…

My thoughts would get worse. I knew somehow we were going to end up crashed in the water. Another real creepy part of this bridge is the birds fly real close to the cars. So there is the fear of a bird crashing through our car window.

It seems as though this bridge goes on forever and....EVER.

Now though, things are a little better for me, because after I went through this really cool Bible study, when I go over the bridge, although it still gives me the creeps, and I still have those thoughts…now I don’t sit in fear shaking and praying for my life. I still don’t like it, but I have learned to fight the fearful thoughts that come against me and instead of sitting in fear, I turn to God and seek His peace, comfort, and RATIONAL thoughts. It is really a battle for me the entire time we are going over this bridge.

If you notice there are construction signs on the bridge. One has a warning…

Uh…no…no way. Just as we were about to get on the bridge we noticed traffic was stopped clear up on the top due to construction. My husband knew better than to even go close to that bridge until traffic moved. So we goofed around down by the marina waiting for the traffic to move and when it did, we quickly got on the bridge. And yes, we were stopped for just a small amount of time. The view is really very pretty up on the higher part of the bridge, but none to soon…we made that quick descent down to the narrow road that is close to the water.

Yikes!

 

I have to tell you we had an incredible weekend at the beach. And when we got home we got some news that even made it better.

We were sitting on the top enjoying the view.

And then…we got some different type of news. We started our descent down. And then we got another piece of news…and there we were…down where you can hear fear knocking and tearing down the door of faith.

What does a person do when the fears are screaming loud and they have a possibility of being reality?

What does a person do when they are enjoying life and the view and, bam, they find themselves descending on a road they don’t want to travel?

Today was a day of choices. To choose to travel this part of the journey partnered with fear and discouragement.

Or to choose to fight against all the things that fear and discouragement want to yell in my ear and make a decision to hold on to God’s hand and walk it with Him.

 To remember He is with me and my family.

Tough times come. Sad times come. Horrible times come. What am I going to do? What are you going to do?

Remember He loves us and wants the best for us? He promised He’d never leave us nor forsake us?

Remember He also promises, if we ask and believe He will give us wisdom?

Remember we also have the gift of the Holy Spirit to teach and counsel us?

In the Bible, in the book of Esther, a person couldn’t go into the King’s presence unless he summoned them. Esther had a very important job to do for her people and she went without being summoned before the King. She put her life at risk. If the King didn’t hold out His scepter well, that would be it for her. Penalty, death. The King did allow her into his presence and heard her request. After hearing her need, he took charge and the issue was dealt with.

Well, for those who believe in Jesus, we have the freedom to go before the King of King’s throne anytime we want to. He tells us in the Bible to cast our cares before Him. So we can run to His throne and present our request.

Think about it…how big of a deal is it to be able to run into the throne room of a King?

Would you ever think of running into the White House to speak to the President? NO.

Would you ever think of running into the Palace to speak to Queen Elizabeth? NO.

But, we are free to run before His throne and the one who opened that door for us is sitting at His right hand.

During this time, I can run and hang out with fear and every other negative thing.

Or I can do something way better than that. I can run into my King’s throne room. And He always wants me in His presence.

I hope, if you too find yourself on a road you DO NOT enjoy or want to travel, you will fight against the negative things and drive down that road with the King!