bicycles and faith

We took Marcella down to the basketball court this morning to teach her how to ride a two-wheeler. Actually, we took all the girls, but Ashlin already knows how to ride, and Laurie still uses training wheels. Colin and I quickly got tired of running along beside Marcella saying, "It's ok, I've got you. Pedal. Watch where you're going. No, don't look at me. Yes, I'm holding on. I won't let go yet...." I think she's starting to get the "feeling" that you need to balance your bike. It's funny. Once you feel that "balancing feeling" just one time, you never lose it. You could learn to ride, and then not ride for 10 years, and then get right on and go. (I did try to explain this to Marcella, but I think she thinks I'm a bit crazy.) I've been thinking a lot lately about how some people can see God everywhere - in nature, other people, stories...etc. They have "seen" Him, and now they can't help but see Him everywhere. But others who have never had that experience of "seeing God", can look at the same things completely blind to Him. It is kind of similar to riding a bike. Ok, just a bit similar, but go with me here. Nothing about the bike changes between knowing how to ride it and not knowing. It does not take any intellectual knowledge on the part of the person learning. Neither does it take any great amount of practice or perfecting. It is mostly that "feeling" of balance. Once you feel it, the rest just comes naturally. Why then do I need to take Marcella to the basketball court to learn? Couldn't I just wait until that balancing feeling comes to her? Nope, the feeling comes with the trying. It will never happen if I say, "I will wait until I feel it first, then I will get on the bike." So, what am I saying? Basically, that believing in God requires a certain amount of faith. Not, "it doesn't make sense, but I believe it anyway" kind of "faith" - that is not faith, it's laziness. But "I don't understand exactly what it is or how it happens, but I've seen evidence of it, so I will attempt it myself"-kind-of-faith. That was my lesson from God today on faith....I rather liked it.