lenten 40: day 21 - running

image 21.

thoughts.
my brother in law, Jerry, enjoys running marathons for fun. anytime our families are together, he's always sure to get out and run every morning. a few years back, i decided to take up running... not because i ever thought about running a marathon - but because i wanted to start doing something where i could set a goal and see it reached. and so i started running and eventually reached my goal and ran in a couple of 5k's here and there. i'm happy to say that for the most part, i've kept up with it ever since.

i knew it must have brought Jerry a little bit of joy to know that i was, in someways, following in his footsteps. the thing is, i used to be scared to go running with him, because he was such an accomplished runner - much faster!

then one day he invited me out to run. i was surprised at how patient he was, since i was obviously slower. little did i realize that he was patiently increasing the pace and before i knew it or realized it, i was running a steady pace that was a full minute faster than i usually ran.

running with him and like him enabled me to run in such a way that i thought was not possible.

scripture.
Discipline in a Long-Distance Race
^1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
~Hebrews 12:1-3 (the Message)

thoughts.
this faith race we're in? Jesus has already ran it. finished it. conquered the hills and valleys along the trail. who are we running with? are we trying to do this faith thing... live this faith out on our own or are we willing to run with those who have trained harder, pushed further and given more? will we follow their lead? will we notice the trail blazed by Christ himself? do we see the big picture? can we see the finish line? are we running the right race?

i don't want to lose focus... lose my sight... i want to be challenged. i need to be challenged. who knows what you or i can accomplish if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus - the author and finisher of this race of faith.