And the Wheels Go 'Round and 'Round

I haven't been on one of these since I was eleven years old—at least not the wheel called "Ferris."

But life is sometimes like a Ferris Wheel. You know, you go around and around, seemingly heading somewhere only to discover that when the wheel stops, you are right back where you began. Life is circular at times.

At its highest point, everything looks mighty fine. The horizons are clear for miles around. Then comes the slide downward when the wheel heads toward the ground with terrifying certainty. Will it stop gently? Or is there a big crash waiting to happen?

And why am I going around and around, in perpetual motion, and still not getting anywhere?

The head knowledge that all this spinning has some useful purpose in the divine design is not always enough to hold back the despair that it brings. The heart should kick in and issue a trust order, but sometimes it is too weary from the journey and hardly has the strength of will to reach out in faith. I don't know of a verse in Scripture that deals with wheels, except those in Ezekiel's vision. Unfortunately it would take a real stretch to force those passages to apply here.

Perhaps this IS where faith dwells—on the wheel of life going around and around without a promise that specifically addresses the issue. That is, after all, the essence of faith; believing without seeing.

On the theme park Ferris Wheel there is always the possibility of mechanical failure or operator error. Even understanding the risks, people still ride the wheel. On my wheel the machinery is in perfect condition and the Operator is incapable of making a mistake. My faith is not misplaced, even when I am spinning 'round and 'round without seeming to go anywhere.

Perhaps for him it's not my destination that counts as much as does my enjoying the ride. Enjoying the ride on any kind of wheel really does require faith.