One of the most enjoyable memories of my childhood is riding my bicycle all over Douthat State Park when my family went on vacation.  Honestly, I loved riding on the trails that said, “No bicycles.”  It may have just been the rebel in me, but, seriously, those trails were the most enjoyable!  I loved riding along the roads up to the very expensive lodge.  Sometimes my parents allowed me to bring friends and we’d ride those bikes everywhere.  I loved racing down the hills and climbing up the mountains.  If you’ve never rode a bicycle before then you’ve have missed out on some fun adventures.  Whenever I ride a bicycle it’s an experience of freedom.

Every time I visit Douthat State Park I am reminded of those childhood memories on the bicycle, but like most youth, hobbies come and go very easily.  That was the case for me.  Once I entered high school, other activities caught my attention.  During my first semester of graduate school I started riding my bicycle as a means to exercise my cardio vascular system.  I was going to the gym to play basketball, but I got tired of getting elbowed, rolling my ankles and playing against people acting like it was the NBA finals!  Cycling became a great tool for me to relieve stress, to get my mind off studying and pastoring, to find a new way of prayerful meditation, to escape the busyness of life, to observe God’s beautiful hand in nature and to just have some fun.

As I meditate upon the freedom that’s enjoyed while riding a bicycle, I’d like share an important spiritual lesson I’ve learned from all of this:  True freedom is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ!  John 8:32 & 36 says, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (32).  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (36).”  The gospel of Christ (His death, burial and resurrection) contains the capability to set mankind free from the bondage of sin, the promise of death and eternal separation from God in hell.  I grew up attending worship services my entire life, but I wasn’t freed from the chains of darkness until Jesus Christ became my Lord and Savior.  As a sixteen-year-old at church camp, the conviction of the Spirit of God fell upon me and I cried out to God for salvation.  It was on that day when I experienced true freedom.

Nowadays, as I ride my bicycle along the roads nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, I do experience freedom from the busyness of life and its many troubles.  I enjoy every second of it, but I know there’s more to it than just that.  I now meditate upon the Scriptures, with deep heartfelt gratitude, about the freedom I have as a believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ!  That, my friend, is true freedom!  John 8:36 states, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”  Have you experienced the freedom found in Jesus Christ?

Bryan Ratliff May 2017

29 Replies

    1. Thank you for sharing, Doris! I’m grateful to have the freedom found in Christ!

    2. Hi Al & Doris, been thinking about you. Sure do miss you in church!! Also that wonderful fudge only Al can make!! A lady in our church makes some that is good but it does not compare to Al’s. I heard that Al had to go to UVA praying thinks are ok now.

  2. amen pastor Bryan. Amazing how the Lord works. I read this passage this morning and meditated on what those verses mean and praise the the Lord for salvation in the death burial and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ.

    1. That’s very cool, Matt! God works in mysterious ways. John’s gospel is a great book to read!

  3. Very well said brother Ratliff I thank God for sending his son to set us free.

  4. I believe you are on the right path with this blog. Got my attention and a smile. Keep digging and dreaming. I see your first book coming from this.

    1. Thank you very much, Uncle Vance! I’ll certainly keep digging and dreaming. I’ve always wanted to write a book, and hopefully soon I can accomplish that goal 🙂

  6. So good, Pastor! I believe that we look to so many things to find freedom. When I retired, I was shocked to see that people viewed that as freedom away from the job. True freedom is found in serving our Master! Keep ’em coming!

    1. Thank you, Chris! That’s so true. We certainly do look to other avenues to search for the freedom that is found in Christ Jesus! God bless you!

  8. Thank you, Pastor Bryan. I pray God will continue Bless you with His Words. You bring them to a level that is so personal that we can relate and know He is speaking to us through you. I look forward to your messages. Carol

    1. Thank you for your kind and encouraging words, Carol! May God’s blessings be upon you and your family!

  9. Thank you so much, Bryan for including me in your blog, your words are inspiring and uplifting. May God bless you in all you do.

    1. Thank you for taking the time to read this, Pam! May God’s blessings be upon you and your family!

  10. Pastor Bryan, well said and the connection of cycling the Blue Ridge to the freedom of Christ is a good one. So grateful that God’s Truth, His Word and His Son sets us free and directs out path! Need to get you in an FCA Endurance cycling jersey so you can wear the cross when you ride. Hope to see you Saturday at the Wilderness Road Ride, a Christ centered event!

    1. Thank you for reaching out, Mark! Hopefully we can go for a ride together soon!

  11. Thanks so much for sharing Bryan! You are truly an inspiration! God bless you <3

    1. Thank you for the encouraging words, Jennifer! May God’s blessings be upon you and your family!

  12. Good stuff Bryan…. How many bike riders use their ride to focus on Jesus and his creations and love… I like this.. keep on 😊

  13. I love that our vacations to Douthat were fun! I was remembering when we rented the lodge for graduation week 10 years ago! I am so proud of the way God uses a a bicycle and you to further His word! Love ya!!

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