When my kids were younger, we took them to Universal Studios in Orlando. My kids had heard about the roller coasters and other rides at that park. They had created an itinerary of rides they wanted to go on. At the top of their list was a roller coaster called the Dragon Challenge or Duelling Dragons (it was replaced in 2017). The roller coaster featured two intertwined tracks and a series of cars resembling dragons. The two tracks twisted and turned, looped and rolled, and caused the cars to speed directly at each other before veering off at the last second. If you like roller coasters, you would have loved this one.
When you got in line for Dragon Challenge, you could choose between two options. The first choice was which dragon to ride on, the green one or the red one – your choice determined how wild your ride would be. The second choice was whether you wanted to go on the ride with your friends and family or as a single rider – the single rider line was shorter, so your wait to get on the ride was much shorter. The first time Alix and I rode together on the green dragon; it was awesome. We screamed, we laughed, and I held tightly to her – because she likes roller coasters more than I do. The second time we went as single riders on the same dragon, but we were not together. That second time the twists and turns, the ups and downs and loops weren’t as much fun; it was the same ride, but the experience was very different. I learned an important lesson on the Dragon Challenge. Ups and downs, twists and turns, and things that throw you for a loop are better when you aren’t alone to experience them.
This weekend, as we continue our “Journeying with Jesus” series, we will look at a high point and a low point in the lives of the people around Jesus. As we look at Luke 9:28-43, we are going to discover the unexpected glory of God in the ups and downs and twists and turns of life. I hope you will join us as we discover together that Jesus is present and powerful in our best and worst moments of life; every unexpected moment is an opportunity to see Jesus clearly.
See you Sunday,
Pastor Kirk
