This story may not mean anything, but it is a parallel of my experience with my walk with God. I am in a walk where disappointments come and go, that I have to read and study God's Word first and learn more about God while I really really really want to share this joy and enthusiasm. However, the reality is, I have to wait. I write this story as a form of my expression with my spiritual growth.
One day, Sam was in his room surfing the internet which he frequently did everyday. "What is Sam doing in his room in this beautiful afternoon," wondered his dad. Then Dad sneaked into Sam's room and saw what Sam was doing. Sam had been surfing the net and looking at pictures of bikes, and trying to learn all the bike parts and listening to videos of people talking about bikes.
When Sam was growing up, Sam had owned a lot of books and pictures of bikes. Sam loved reading about bikes. Sam kept asking his friends, teachers, and even strangers, who knew more about bikes, to teach him. However, despite them talking to him about bikes all the time, Sam was still not satisfied. Yet Sam had not given up, he kept looking.
Sam noticed his dad was standing beside him. Dad saw Sam was a bit sad. Sam then asked Dad, "Can you teach me about bikes?"
Dad was surprised Sam asked him this time. Dad finally decided to buy Sam a bike, but their was only one bike available in their city and it had to be assembled. Bikes were rare and a luxury and came with a manual. Bikes were bought un-assembled because only a few people knew how to assemble a bike. Dad, on the other hand, had assembled and owned a bike a long time ago.
Sam, still on the computer, heard two honks. Sam left his room and went to the door. Sam saw what Dad brought. A bike. Sam was very happy and couldn't wait. He took the package from Dad and ran to his room and opened it.
But Sam felt disappointed, he didn't know what to do. Dad came to his side, sat, and pulled out a huge manual from the box. Dad and Sam then read and learned together.
Months passed, Dad and Sam still studied the manual every afternoon, and the bike was almost done. However, news came that Dad had to leave the country for work right away, which then left Sam to learn the manual by himself.
Sam still didn't know what to do, so Sam went back to his computer and books to surf and read about bikes, and asked people who failed to satisfy Sam's questions and confusion about bikes.
Mom came to Sam, who was still distraught, and tried consoling Sam. Mom began helping Sam with his bike, and eventually they finished the bike. Now Sam was very happy, and couldn't wait to always show his new bike to his friends and neighbors.
Sam was about and ready to leave the house with his bike. However, he still didn't know how to use the bike, but he had read all those stuff in his books and the internet and what people had said, and he couldn't wait to show it already. Mom and Dad told Sam that he still had to read the manual and learn more before he went out with his bike.
Time had passed, Sam, still so full of energy and excitement, really really really wanted to show his bike, but Sam knew that if he left, things wouldn't look too good unless he kept learning and preparing himself before he could ride his bike on the streets. Sam just couldn't contain his enthusiasm; he sometimes failed in school and at home, sometimes failed to read the manual, and even tried to ride the bike and fell.
Sam just wanted to ride the bike and share his joy about bikes to people, but he had to wait.
(photo from etsy.com)
Experiencing a local church that is almost like from the Church in the Book of Acts, even in the most unlikely places (Ch*na), is, well, the blessed experience ever.
