I think life is like a roller coaster. One minute you are travelling slowly along a straight, level track, constant in speed and stable in structure. But then you start to climb up a steep gradient, higher and higher you travel. The engine of the roller coaster is straining to pull the carriages up to the top, you wonder if you will actually make it. Until with a jolt you reach the top and the engine again returns to its normal sound. At the top you have a few seconds to look around you and enjoy the view. The houses and trees looking small below you like a toy city, as you gaze over the tops of the urbanization. Suddenly the roller coaster’s engine changes sound again and instantaneously you are falling down the track, getting faster and faster, jerking from one side of the seat to the other as you gather speed to do the loop for loop. Swiftly you look like you are about to fly straight off the end into the murky waters below. However, at the last moment you jerk to the left and start to climb again just not as high up as the last time. And the whole terrifying experience starts all over again. Your ears are registering the other riders screaming, some in fear and others in laughter as they enjoy their roller coaster ride. Eventually after a petrifying 5 minute ride you abruptly come to a stop. Your legs are shaking as you try to dismount from the roller coaster. Your stomach is churning and you don’t know what you need to take to settle it. Then you see the booth and you think I could do that ride again!
Surprisingly, the roller coaster ride dates back to the 17th century in Russia. Sled riding was built for the purpose of travelling from palace to another palace in the capital city of St Petersburg. As the technologies improved so did the slides with the first loop track being built in Paris in 1846. Continued advances and newer innovations emerged in the early 20th century with side friction and underfriction technologies to allow for greater speeds and sharper turns. Bringing us to the roller coaster of today, allowing riders to defy gravity as you fly through the sky.
Isn’t life sometimes like this, one moment normal maybe even boring, same as the day before. Then something unexpected happens, perhaps a problem or a disappointment. You feel like life is grinding along a difficult path. However, at that point you reach a plateau and for the briefest of moments all seems fine again, only to change once again, turning left then right suddenly and unexpectedly. You feel you have no control, so many changes and you have no way to guide them. Just as quickly as it all started you come to a stop and life returns to normal calm and steady. For awhile anyway! However, in the midst of all the
it is nice to know that somethings don’t change. The writer of the book of Hebrews in chapter 1 verse 12 says ‘Thou, Lord, … thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail’. These words are from the book of Psalms and teach that God does not change, the world may change around us but God stays the same. His love is unchangeable, his holiness is unchangeable and his purpose is unchangeable. The prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah chapter 54 verse 10 ‘For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.’ What a comfort to those who trust in him. He is not a roller coaster he is the same yesterday today and forever.
P. Pilgrim pilgrimway101@yahoo.com
