A New Cycle
Written by Luke Megginson
My grace is made sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9
I just finished getting coffee with a group of people I had recently met through my church’s college group. It was my freshman year and this felt like a huge step towards actually making some friends. Feeling chipper, I grabbed my backpack and headed to my means of transportation across the campus of San Diego State University. That transportation, like many of you probably had to deal with when you first moved away from home, was not a car but in fact a bike. That didn’t bother me. I was a young and optimistic Luke, just trudging along and biking anywhere I needed to go.
That optimism quickly faded as I walked towards my bike and remembered I had forgotten to lock it. With my anxiety growing every second, I picked up the pace, made my way down the big staircase, and rounded the corner to the bike rack and…… nothing. Pure devastation. Not only had I lost the bike that allowed me to do anything social, but it was only four months ago that I had finished saving money to buy it. Let’s just say in early college financial terms, I might as well have put a down payment on a house. I made the long walk home completely dejected, wondering how I was going to possibly be able to fix my new transportation problem.
Jump forward a couple weeks. I showed up twenty minutes late on Sunday morning to Flood Church where I was an intern. It was a couple miles away from my house and I didn’t wake up early enough to walk or even run there in time. Abby, the lead children's pastor who was also the woman I worked under, naturally had some questions about my late arrival. Feeling increased frustration about my situation, I finally vented, telling her everything that happened and sharing why I hadn’t asked anyone for help.
As we talked, I explained to her that I couldn’t ask for rides from friends because I didn’t know them well enough to ask for favors. I didn’t tell the staff at church because I was too embarrassed. I didn’t ask my parents for money because being independent was something I valued too highly. I added any other excuse I could think of to handle it on my own.
Honestly I can’t recall everything Abby said to me, but I do remember her just looking at me and saying, “You are so much more loved than you realize.” At the time, a big part of me didn’t really believe her.
Life continued and the following Tuesday, I walked to the church offices and when I arrived everybody looked at me with big smiles on their faces. I wrote it off as some good old fashioned Christmas excitement, but how wrong I was. Waiting for me as I walked into the main common room was a brand new bike with a bow on it and everyone on the church staff standing behind it waiting to surprise me. I was hugged and told words of affirmation before I even realized what was happening.
I wish I could say I felt overwhelmingly loved in that moment. That is the normal response to such an amazing gesture. The whole team had just bought a bike, which mind you, it was not a cheap bike in the middle of the Christmas season with all the expenses that come with that time of year. Plus, it only took me telling one of them TWO DAYS earlier to rally behind me. I was completely stunned.
The funny thing is though, as time went on, and I looked at that bike, it was God's continuing reminder of their love for me. More importantly, his love for me wasn’t something to be earned or deserved. It was truly a selfless act of love and compassion.
It’s been a long time since then with lots of highs and lows, but I can confidently say it’s never been a mistake to bring my brokenness to the Lord and my church community. Pastor Shawn recently said something in a sermon that really stuck with me. He said, “You can be impressive or you can be known.” My prayer for the church in this Christmas season is that we would have a soft heart towards one another, to be able to humbly receive God's love through the blessings we are given and that the Holy Spirit would give us the passion, love, and wisdom to show others they are unconditionally loved as well.
That optimism quickly faded as I walked towards my bike and remembered I had forgotten to lock it. With my anxiety growing every second, I picked up the pace, made my way down the big staircase, and rounded the corner to the bike rack and…… nothing. Pure devastation. Not only had I lost the bike that allowed me to do anything social, but it was only four months ago that I had finished saving money to buy it. Let’s just say in early college financial terms, I might as well have put a down payment on a house. I made the long walk home completely dejected, wondering how I was going to possibly be able to fix my new transportation problem.
Jump forward a couple weeks. I showed up twenty minutes late on Sunday morning to Flood Church where I was an intern. It was a couple miles away from my house and I didn’t wake up early enough to walk or even run there in time. Abby, the lead children's pastor who was also the woman I worked under, naturally had some questions about my late arrival. Feeling increased frustration about my situation, I finally vented, telling her everything that happened and sharing why I hadn’t asked anyone for help.
As we talked, I explained to her that I couldn’t ask for rides from friends because I didn’t know them well enough to ask for favors. I didn’t tell the staff at church because I was too embarrassed. I didn’t ask my parents for money because being independent was something I valued too highly. I added any other excuse I could think of to handle it on my own.
Honestly I can’t recall everything Abby said to me, but I do remember her just looking at me and saying, “You are so much more loved than you realize.” At the time, a big part of me didn’t really believe her.
Life continued and the following Tuesday, I walked to the church offices and when I arrived everybody looked at me with big smiles on their faces. I wrote it off as some good old fashioned Christmas excitement, but how wrong I was. Waiting for me as I walked into the main common room was a brand new bike with a bow on it and everyone on the church staff standing behind it waiting to surprise me. I was hugged and told words of affirmation before I even realized what was happening.
I wish I could say I felt overwhelmingly loved in that moment. That is the normal response to such an amazing gesture. The whole team had just bought a bike, which mind you, it was not a cheap bike in the middle of the Christmas season with all the expenses that come with that time of year. Plus, it only took me telling one of them TWO DAYS earlier to rally behind me. I was completely stunned.
The funny thing is though, as time went on, and I looked at that bike, it was God's continuing reminder of their love for me. More importantly, his love for me wasn’t something to be earned or deserved. It was truly a selfless act of love and compassion.
It’s been a long time since then with lots of highs and lows, but I can confidently say it’s never been a mistake to bring my brokenness to the Lord and my church community. Pastor Shawn recently said something in a sermon that really stuck with me. He said, “You can be impressive or you can be known.” My prayer for the church in this Christmas season is that we would have a soft heart towards one another, to be able to humbly receive God's love through the blessings we are given and that the Holy Spirit would give us the passion, love, and wisdom to show others they are unconditionally loved as well.
Reflective Question for the Day
Who in your life could use encouragement? Is it you?
I’d challenge you to be honest with God about where you could be asking for help and where you could be giving it.
Luke Megginson’s favorite Christmas movie is Klaus. (Watch it. Trust him. It’s amazing and family friendly.) His morning routine is to roll out of bed, skip breakfast, and do the bare minimum to pass as a responsible adult before he leaves the house. Something he loves to do when he has nothing to do is find people who want to play chess in public.