One of the fascinating facts about bicycle wheels is that the tire is only as strong as the hub of the wheel. In other words, the center is what actually gives the wheel its power. The hub of the wheel is the center which gives it it's strength. If the wheel was just composed of the spokes and tire then it would eventually collapse from the constant pounding and pressure of the streets or sidewalks.
Just as the center of the bicycle wheel gives it it's strength, so does having God as the center of our lives give us strength to deal with the challenges of life. However, with all of the distractions and diversions we encounter on a daily basis, sometimes it can be difficult to keep God as the center. Sometimes life has a way of distracting us from primarily focusing on God, and end up focusing on the stuff we are going through.
This actually plagued the children of Israel during their lives. Very often they would start out with God as their center, then end up shifting Him around. As we look at their situation, we see that they no longer want God to be the center of their lives. They get distracted by what other nations are doing and lose sight of keeping God first. However, we can take a lesson from their experience and learn how to keep God as the center of our lives by keeping a close eye on our aspirations, acquaintances, and adjustments we make in life.
Rev. Squire J. Newsome III
