I
recently participated in a YMCA Stay Strong 10K run. I had been preparing for
this run and felt pretty good about it on that morning. My wife, Suanne, and I
made our way to the race location and joined with the others gathered there for
the event. As the time drew near to the start of the race, I began stretching
to loosen up my muscles. It was at that point that I made a disconcerting
discovery. I had forgotten to put on my running watch. Without my watch, I
would be running blind. I would have no idea what my pace was, or how I was
doing in the race. My confidence turned into nervousness.
The
race began and I took off. I bolted from the starting line with the lead
runners, but they quickly left me behind. Within minutes, I was breathing hard.
Soon other runners were passing me by. I passed the one mile mark with no idea
how fast I was running. At the two mile mark I was able to ask a fellow runner
what the time was. I was right about where I wanted to be, so I relaxed just a
little. At the three mile mark, I was again able to get a read on my time. I
was very close to my target goal.
After
I passed the three mile mark, I realized that the pack of runners had spread
out. I could see a few runners a couple of blocks ahead of me. As I turned a
corner, I looked back and there was no one there. For the next three miles or
so, I ran virtually alone. As my legs got tired, I told myself that I was
slowing down and that I needed to pick up the pace. I blindly pressed on.
With
about a half mile to go, I encountered a group of the 5K walkers. I weaved my
way through them with an extra burst of energy. Turning a corner I could see
the finish line, so I gave everything I had and pushed for the finish line. My
goal was to run the race in under one hour. As I crossed the line I saw the
clock turn to _____. I will fill in the blank later.
This
experience reminded me of how I often feel on this journey of faith. Jesus
calls us to follow Him, but he doesn’t give us a map, or a watch. He gives us a
picture of the finish line and what we will encounter along the way. But He
calls us to trust Him to lead us along the way. Often I feel like I am running
blind. I often wonder if my pace is too fast or too slow. I wonder if I am making
progress or have taken a wrong turn. I wonder if I am expending my energy on
the right things or wasting it. Every once in a while, I am able to get a
reading of how I am doing from some fellow traveler. Often, I feel like I am
making the journey alone.
I
had never run the course for this 10K run before. Even though I had a map in advance,
the route was unfamiliar to me. The course had many twists and turns.
Fortunately, there were volunteers at each corner to direct me in the right
way. The same has been true for my journey of faith. The path before me is
unfamiliar and often confusing. It would be easy to lose my way, but God has strategically
placed people at critical points in my life to direct me in the way he would
have me go.
When
I was in high school, I grabbed onto Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths
straight. I have often leaned on that verse, when I was uncertain about
which direction to go. I had to trust Christ to lead me in the right way.
Running,
for me, is not about winning races, but about doing my best. The same is true
for my journey of faith. If I get my eyes on others and their performance, I
can easily get discouraged; like watching runners pass me during the 10K. But,
if I focus on doing my best, I can celebrate even small amounts of progress. So
I have grabbed a hold of another verse; Colossians 3:17. And
whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
As I
turned the corner and headed for the finish line, I could see the seconds
ticking off of the clock. As I passed the line, the clock turned to 54:00. I
had beaten my goal by 6 minutes. Several people congratulated me on a race well
run.
Some
day my earthly race will be over. I will cross the finish line to see Jesus
waiting for me. Then and only then will I know the outcome of my race. But I
know this, that if I continually seek to do my best for Him, when I cross the
line I will hear those words, “well done, good and faithful servant.”
Not
that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I
press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers,
I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward
the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ
Jesus.
Philippians
3:12-14
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