May 7, 2024 / by Chuck Blystone
Sometimes my walk with Christ is done on a bike. Bicycling isn’t just a great way to get exercise and explore the great outdoors. It can also be a time of meditation, spiritual renewal, and fellowship.
I pursue two types of biking, and both offer rewards.
First, there’s solo biking. I’ll head out of town and pedal for hours along country roads. It’s mostly quiet once you get out of town, and after you get comfortable pedaling you fall into a rhythm that allows you to think about other things. So even though you aren’t literally still, you can quiet your heart and “be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Prayer time on the bike is a gift: It draws you closer to Christ while giving you a far more valuable mental focus than how strong the headwind is or how tired your legs are. It energizes you and clears your head even as it burns calories.
Smartphones offer another bridge between biking and faith. I have apps on my phone so I can listen to sermons while touring corn country. (One cautionary note: I would never use earbuds or headphones while biking; that’s just too dangerous.)
I’ve even seen someone in our church mount notecards on her handlebars and turn her bike outing into a memory verse exercise.
But there’s an equally important way to bike: with people. One of the richest blessings of my life is biking with a group of guys who serve as a small group of sorts. Our shared faith and interest in biking blends beautifully to create precious times of fellowship.
Biking also can be a gateway to bringing non-believers into discussions about life in Christ.
The bottom line is, summer isn’t a time for a vacation from drawing closer to Christ; it’s a fresh opportunity to keep up the pursuit.
Chuck Blystone is married to Susan and has one daughter, Carly. He retired seven years ago from The Pantagraph, where he was the features editor. He now enjoys working at Rader Family Farms.
May OakLeaf Articles:
This Summer, Memorize Scripture by Pastor Scott Boerckel
Serving Neighbors on our Swing Set by Abigail Waples
Plan a Personal Day of Prayer by Dr. Jeff VanGoethem
Summer Activity to Enrich Your Walk with Jesus by Chuck Blystone
Faith Nurturing “Rainy Day” Activities by Whitney Sherrill
Summer Reading that Helps You Grow by Monica Ball & Brenda Thompson
How to Have a God-Honoring Vacation by Pastor Traig Whittaker