Cycling Pilgrimage along with the Good Shepherd

April 22, 2018
I John 3.16-24

Jesus offers himself to us when we are quiet, when we are alone, when we are listening for the Shepherd's voice.

I don't think I'm going to talk a lot this morning; except to share some stories;
Because I want the scriptures to speak to you today. I want you to listen for the voice of the Shepherd. //
But here is what I am going to say:
I went on another one of my cycling trips.
Why do I do this?  I get out there on the road and I'm riding my bicycle--lugging my gear behind me--out in the middle of nowhere, looking up at the vultures circling above wondering if they think I'm their next meal.

There is this need that I have to separate myself from the demands of the things of this life and to discover how to gravitate toward relying on God for life, relying on God for sustenance, relying on him for safety.

So here are a few things that happened to me on this journey.
I planned the trip well.  I wanted to ride from my house to Austin; and along the way visit each of the Episcopal Churches in small towns in between home and Austin; I had it all mapped out.

But as time approached my plans started to change; we had a special funeral service to plan, I discovered my bike needed some additional maintenance and these factors (for the best) changed my timeline, and therefore changed my route.  Now I was headed toward Camp Allen in Navasota.

This change affected the type of tour I would take; instead of pulling a trailer with camping gear I would simply carry clothes, a little food, and stay in roach motels along the way.  Sometimes our plans change when we listen to the Shepherd.

What I discovered at the end of the day when your neck and forehead are burnt from the sun and your upper lip tastes like salt from being hot and sweaty all day...it comes down to:  All you want in a motel is to wash off and lie down.---a shower and a bed. //

I mentioned that I brought some food.  I brought bags of mixed nuts, cheese, and summer sausage.  After an afternoon rest, to sit and eat on the edge of the bed...to have my little bit of cheese and sausage, and handful of nuts, I quickly discovered I didn't need that much to make my hunger go away...

But I would guzzle water.  Water!  There is nothing that quenches your thirst more, when you're really thirsty, than tap water from a motel sink.  I carried two water bottles with me; filled them up each day.  I also brought a 6-liter water bag that I never used.

Each morning, when I was rested and ready to start my journey again, the thought of filling the water bottles from a motel tape was disgusting to me.  So...you know what I did?

I started filling the bottles from the motel sink in the afternoon when I was thirsty.  When I valued water most, I filled the bottle, and I didn't care about how dirty the sink was.  Now!  Somewhere in all of this, God was taking care of my basic needs.

God shows me what is required to survive...and folks...
After all that, all that is left...is luxury.  After having a wash, a place to lay your head, food and water...everything else is luxury.  Extra pillows, clean sheets--luxury.  In the first motel I stayed in;

I couldn't get the air conditioner to work.  The only reason I wanted it to work was because I paid for the room.  It wasn't that hot inside.  I didn't need it. It was luxury.

Like a Shepherd guards his flock, God was protecting me and providing for my needs. //

Out on the highway: there were wide shoulders, on the busier roads you can hear the sound of cars coming from behind you. And each time I look in my rear-view eyepiece most vehicles give me a gracious buffer as they pass by.

In those moments, I felt thankfulness for God's love fore me;  Here's the deal...
I wasn't feeling thankful that he keeps me from getting smushed by an eighteen wheeled rock truck...  I was thankful for the life he gives me in Christ Jesus.

"Whether I live or die I am the Lord's possession.  We belong to the Lord.  That's what I was thankful for.//

Speaking of road kill:  I also learned something as a side-note.
When you're about 20-30 yards away from dead animals on the shoulder, take a deep breath...hold it...and when you get to the animal slowly begin exhaling.  By the time you're done breathing out and ready to take a new breath, you won't have to smell the carcass.

The last two things I want to share with you:
Cows are wonderful.  Once you get out on the FM Roads (Farm-to Market roads) where there is very little traffic you find the cows grazing in the pastures on the other side of the barbed wire fence.  It's usually very quiet; you can hear the wind and the gentle tick-tick of your bicycle's free will.  And the cows notice you.

A car could go by---a thousand cars could go by and the cows would take no notice.  But when a loan cyclist  with his bright yellow safety vest and flashing lights comes quietly cruising by...
They raise and turns their heads and just look at you...//
They look at you like, they're trying to figure you out...what in the world is this?

And they're chewin' that last bite of grass they took...just lookin' at you. //

And then...you start talking to them, you know?  "Hey cows, how y'all doin'?"  "What are y'all lookin' at?  Hope you're having a good day."

Then they get curious about you and start trotting along to the end of the pasture to get a last glimpse before your ride off down the road...

Let me tell you what that feels like.  it feels like you're connecting with God through one of his other creatures.  And before you think I'm totally crazy;  if you have a dog you know what I'm talking about.  And if you have a cat...and he allows it...you might know what I'm talking about.

I felt this connection to God's creatures because of curiosity and because of kind/peaceful words.
I was mindful of how we should live everyday like that as we encounter strangers.

The last story I want to share with you all:
I'm riding along State Highway 159 from Bellville to Hempstead.  The traffic was light; a few cars pass by, but it was pretty quiet.  I went on enjoying the tranquility of the ride:

When!  About 75 yards off the highway to my right along an old country fence a donkey (for no reason at all) starts braying at me, "Hee-haw, hee-haw" and various other inhuman grunting sounds.  It's the most obnoxious sound and he goes on and on and won't stop.  And he's spoiling that lit bit of quiet I was having//

And because now, I talk to animals, right?
I'm like, "DUDE, what's wrong with you?  Chill out!"  But he. kept. on. talking.

Okay biblical scholars:
Q: What would you think of if a donkey started talking to you?
A: You better listen.

Write this down. Numbers 22.21-39--you can go back and read the story of Balaam's donkey.

This nameless donkey is carrying the prophet Balaam down the road.  Balaam is a good prophet but he is going to do something God told him not to do.  The donkey sees up-ahead on the road that the angel of death (sword drawn) is blocking their way, and he's going to kill Balaam when they pass by.

So the donkey stops which infuriates Balaam who punishes the donkey.  After several times the donkey finally speaks and says, "What is your problem?  I'm saving you from the angel of death..."

So...what did I do?  I turned to that donkey and I said, "Look donkey, I'm already halfway between Bellville and Hempstead.  I ain't turnin' around.  If the angel of death is down there he'll have to smote me dead.  I AM THE LORD's possession."  "But!  I will slow down."  And I did slow down.

30 seconds later two cars passed by me and unexpectedly pulled off onto the shoulder in front of me.//

Now I don't know if God saved me from some calamity...that's not what matters.  For we are the Lord's possession.

What matters is that I slowed down and was listening for God.  Listening for and responding to his direction; listening for the Shepherd's voice and guidance.
(Thy rod and thy staff the comfort me; thou leadest me beside still waters)

So, today I'm going to ask you all...to listen...for God's voice

Listen (I John 3.16-24 read aloud)

We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister[a] in need and yet refuses help?
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us. (NRSV)

Open your prayer books to page 305 (the baptismal candidate prayers)

Deliver me, O Lord, from the way of sin and death.

Open my heart to your grace and truth.

Fill me with your holy and life‑giving Spirit.

Keep me in the faith and communion of your holy Church.

Teach me to love others in the power of the Spirit.

Send me into the world in witness to your love.

Bring me to the fullness of your peace and glory. Amen.  (Book of Common Prayer 1979)

If you want to be a better disciple tomorrow than you are today.  If you want to experience the presence of God, print these words and put them on your refrigerator, on your handle bars, on your steering wheel.

And listen for the Shepherd's voice.