God is My Pace-setter

(Originally written for Bible Study)

“God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We’ve finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade.” (Romans 3:27-28 MSG)

This verse reminded me of tandem biking. I’ve never ridden a tandem bike. I can barely ride a regular bike! I’ve heard that even people like me, with minimal biking skills, can ride a tandem bike as long as I follow some basic rules. Of course, I would need to let someone with more experience be the ‘Captain’—the rider in the front. I would have to be the ‘Stoker’, the rider in the back. The captain steers, balances, and calls out bumps and turns. He sets the pace. The stoker responds to the captain’s cues. The stoker pedals when the captain pedals, coasts when the captain coasts, shifts to one side or the other as the captain turns. There is constant verbal and nonverbal communication between the captain and the stoker. They have to be tuned in to each other. The stoker must not try to steer. Since he can’t see ahead, he has to completely rely on the captain for guidance.

 

God is our Captain. He is our pacesetter. He steers, balances, turns. He can see far ahead. We are the stokers—we provide our energy to this endeavor. We respond to God’s pace. We pay attention to His cues.

I found the following version of Psalm 23 online. It is from a Japanese translation.

The Lord is my Pace-setter, I shall not rush;
He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals,
He provides me with images of stillness, which restore my serenity,
He leads me in the ways of efficiency through calmness of mind,
And His guidance is peace.
Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day,
I will not fret, for His presence is here,
His timelessness, His all-importance, will keep me in balance,
He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity,
By anointing my mind with His oils of tranquility.
My cup of joyous energy overflows,
Surely harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruits of my hours,
For I shall walk in the pace of my Lord and dwell in His house for ever.