Have you ever been to Bike Heaven? In case you haven’t, it’s a combination museum and store in Pittsburgh, PA, that specializes in vintage bikes. I went there recently with Brooks Fetters (owner of the Huntington Bicycle Shop) and some other friends while on a cycling retreat, and one of the things that caught my eye was all the bikes that had been used by famous people.
For example, there was one used by actor Paul Reubens (aka Pee-wee Herman) in the movie, “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” and another one used by Tom Hanks in “A Man Called Otto.” There was even a quad tandem with a sign stating, “THE MONKEES RODE THIS.” All of them are valuable, not just because of how they were used, but by whom they were used.
Seems to me it’s not all that different in our spiritual lives. All throughout the Bible we see examples of “little” people who, because they allowed God to use them, became “great” in God’s eyes.
Jesus expressed it beautifully when, speaking to a crowd about John the Baptist, he said, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John. Yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matthew 11:11)
So, who’s using you? Are you willing to let God use you above all?
Use me, Lord, for thy glory.
Use me, only use me.
If I go or stay, I would tell love’s story.
Use me, Lord, O use me.
(from the hymn, “Use Me, Lord,” by C. Austin Miles)
Dave Marty is a retired pastor who lives with his wife, Mary, in Brownsburg, Indiana. They have two beautiful daughters, two great sons-in-law, and two creative teenage grandchildren. In addition to cycling (including unicycling), Dave also enjoys gardening, Scrabble, hosting Holy Land tours with Mary, and tutoring kindergarteners at a nearby school