I still remember the look on my son’s face the first time he rode a roller coaster. It was a mix of fear, joy and panic rolled into one. When the ride ended I turned to see if he was OK only to watch him race back to the line so he could get ready to do it all over again. He was hooked and now there’s not a coaster he won’t embrace. A few years ago we hit Disney World as a family and got to experience a whole other level of excitement. Talk about fear and fun wrapped into one. We zigged, zagged, looped and dove savoring every ride we took. It never seemed to grow old. Every day there was a new ride that would drop our throats into our stomachs and cause us to scream like little school girls. For two weeks we lined up again and again to experience the gauntlet of emotions that came with it all.
I think if Jesus were walking the earth today He would use a roller coaster ride to describe what it’s like to live in relationship with Him. But since there were no theme parks two thousand years ago, Jesus had to find another way to explain why He came to earth. Here’s what He said, “I have come so that you may have life to the fullest.” (John 10:10). Jesus wants you to know that if you want to live life on full then you better be ready to experience some ups and downs and twists and turns.
Think about it. No one spends money to ride something that goes slow and straight. Instead, we pay money for rides that surface every emotion known to man. We want to be scared, exhilarated, happy and sick all at the same time. We want to experience a plethora of emotions, so long as we know we’ll be safe. We trust the ride because we trust the operators. It’s the same with Jesus. No matter what life dishes out, you can trust Him. He’s the operator and His job is to make sure you stay in the ride.
Over the years my kids have evolved in their roller coaster abilities. At the beginning all they did was scream, close their eyes and hang on for dear life. Now it’s different. They no longer use their perfectly good arms and hands to hang on. They have chosen to trust the safety measures built into the ride which allows them to embrace the way a roller coaster was meant to be ridden, with hands in the air.
That is what God intended for you and me when it comes to this roller coaster ride called life. He knows that along the way you are going to be scared, sick and upset. He’s not surprised when you feel trapped, out of control and screaming for the ride to stop. He knew all along that you would have moments where you would be moving at warp speed, hanging upside down in complete darkness. That’s life. He also knows that along the way you will experience some sweet moments of deep joy. He promises that there will be exhilarating and amazing times where you wish the ride would never end. That’s what the promise of a full life looks like from God’s view. It’s a life that’s unpredictable, always changing but definitely never boring. It’s a life where God positions Himself as your safety bar so that you can enjoy this ride called life the way God intended; with your eyes wide open and your hands in the air.