“Come on Daddy!  Let’s go ride bikin’!”  Abigail excitedly exclaims one morning around 6:30 a.m.  “You mean bike riding” he corrects.  “Yes, ride bikin’” she says.  As my heart smiled I wondered if she even realized what she was saying.  It’s easy to get things reversed in your mind.  And it’s even easier to get things reversed in your life.  I’ve thought about the things I’ve done backwards before.  For example,

I’ve said the wrong thing and then ask God for wisdom.

I’ve made major decisions on my own and then prayed to God for blessings.

I’ve gotten myself in trouble and then cried out to God for help. 

You see, all of these things are easy to do, especially if you just go through life ride bikin’ along without a thought in the world about spiritual matters.  What I should do is asked God for wisdom before I speak (James 1:4), seek out the Kingdom of God and His righteousness before asking for blessings (Matt. 6:31-33), and go to God every day seeking his help even before needing it (Psalm 33:20-22). 

Why do we do things on our own and then go to God? It’s backwards.  Is it because God is just a small portion of our lives, an afterthought in many cases?  Shouldn’t God be the center of our lives?  Shouldn’t He be everything?  Shouldn’t Jesus be Lord and Master?  Or, maybe we think the old adage; “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission” works with God as well.  Could it be we think this way because we already know God’s answer?  God has, after all, already laid out what is permissible in His Holy Word.  Some just don’t care, some never think about it, and some know the truth and do what is wrong anyway.  But, without fail each of these people will someday realize just how backwards they are in their thinking.  I pray that those that don’t care will repent and get saved before it’s too late.  I pray that those that never think about God or His Words will come to realize just how important the involvement of God is in their lives.  I pray for those that do know the Truth and that it only takes gentle chastisement for them to repent.   Isn’t it sad to spend your time ride bikin’ through life, leaning upon the training wheels of indifference and traveling down the broad path that leads to destruction?

 “O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.” (Psa 79:8-9)