Mark and Abby ran a race this weekend in Phoenix. Mark made his best time ever in the half and Abby, who only trained for the half, decided to do the WHOLE marathon instead! They are driving home today, both exhausted and exhilarated from the experience. Each of them pushed themselves to a new level, bursting out of the box of being content with just good and pressing into something greater. So proud of both of them!
Running. It’s used as an analogy for life in the bible. Probably because the similarities are so obvious. The training. The pressing on. The “not giving up”. The personal goals out there waiting. The strengthening. The getting back up after you fall and continuing. The mind over matter attitude.
Check these out:
Isaiah 40:29-31 –
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
Hebrews 12:11 –
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…
2 Timothy 4:7-8 –
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness,which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
1 Corinthians 9:24 –
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
I wish I enjoyed running more. I really do. Not sure that day will ever come for me. But I can be a fierce RUNNER OF LIFE. I can “run” with everything in me as if my very life depends on it. Which, actually, it does. I can give my all to my own Personal Trainer, the One who knows my path, my strengths, my weaknesses, and how best to train me as an individual. He has a plan and He’s given me the “legs” I need to take that plan and “run” with it…
