WHEN I TAUGHT our young son to ride a bicycle without training wheels, I put him on the seat and told him to grip the handle bars and start pedaling. Determined to succeed, he glared ahead, stiffened his pose, and started the wheels in motion. To keep him upright, I ran behind him with one hand on the fender, balancing the bike until he found confidence to cycle alone. Not realizing my steady grip in the rear, he was very impressed with how easily he stayed up. "Look Dad, I'm doing it!" he cried. And once he found his center of gravity, I did let go of the bike, and off he went on his own.
There is a steady hand at work in all of our lives. That, to me, is Christ—the steady hand of God that I can trust to keep me on track. When facing trouble or feeling down, I know Christ is present to lift me up. When I need direction, I know the finger of Christ is pointing the way. When I need healing, I can count on Christ to dissolve the pain and cure the wound. I see Christ as the power and presence of God upholding me, governing me, and maintaining me in the divine image and likeness.
Before Jesus ascended, he told his followers, "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matt. 28:20. Although Jesus is no longer with us, the Christ he manifested remains as an eternal power. As children of God, we each have this power within us. It's as close to our being as wet is to water. Whenever we feel love, express wisdom, or care for and share with others, the Christ is working through us. I consider Christ to be my spiritual individuality, actively expressing God's qualities of love, peace, and joy.
