A couple of shots from the Grand Rapids Marathon
"Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus...." Those words from Hebrews have gone through my mind a thousand times on runs over the years, and they did once again during the Grand Rapids Marathon on October 17.
"Let us throw off everything that hinders" Physically, when you run, you don't want to wear more clothes than are necessary because they slow you down. It was interesting to start our run with temperatures in the low 40's-----everyone had long sleeves on at the start, but as the race went on, clothes were strewn all along the course. I kept my long-sleeved shirt on for about 2 1/2 miles, and then as the sweat was coming, I could feel the weight of the heavy cotton against my skin and decided it was time to get it off before it affected my performance. Spiritually, a lot of things can hinder our walk with God, but particularly, I think, those things that are excess---sometimes we take on too many things (who? me? None of you have known me to do that, have you?). It's not that those things are bad in and of themselves, but perhaps they detract from serving, and loving, and communing with God the way we were intended to. Even running can be something that hinders---so can facebook, sewing, reading, watching TV, skiing, working, you name it. As our pastor recently reminded us in a sermon, when God is not at the center of all we do, all that we do can become idolatrous and can hinder our walk (or our run!) with God. So, I threw off my shirt at 2 1/2 miles and considered what other things I might shed in my life for the betterment of my walk with God. 26.2 miles gives you a long time to think about such things.
"...and the sin that so easily entangles...." A lot of things hinder us, and then there is sin. Sin not only hinders us, but it traps us, immobilizes us in a very real sense. If I were tangled in a web of strings or ropes early on in my race, or at any point, I would be totally incapacitated to finish or to even advance from one mile to the next. I would need someone to come alongside me and cut the ropes to set me free from my tangled mess. That is exactly what Christ has done for us. We don't need to keep writhing in the grip of our sin when we have a Savior whose ultimate sacrifice "cut the ropes" for us---we are free to run!
"...and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." It's easy to say that at 3, 5, 10, 13, and even 15 miles in a marathon. For the first half of my marathon I literally felt like I was being carried along by God Himself. I was strong, focused, fast. At 13.1 miles I was on my pace to run a sub-4 hour marathon and to possibly qualify for Boston. But, perseverance....Hip pain, dehydration, depleted calories, sore legs, and ever intensifying hip pain. Now perseverance took on its real meaning. Suddenly, my goal shifted from wanting to qualify for Boston, to simply wanting to finish the race. In my marathon, and in my life, perseverance requires a new kind of focus. It requires prayer. It requires a deep inner strength that only comes from Christ in us. When an unexpected hill (mine around mile 12 felt more like a mountain!), an unexpected loss or pain of some sort enters our life, we are called to persevere. Thankfully, I have a husband who was perceptive enough to realize that I was beginning to feel like giving up. So, he came alongside me (not even wearing running shoes, not even having run in AGES), and ran from mile 15 to 20 with me. He didn't say much, just ran beside me, and occasionally told me I was doing such a good job and he was proud of me. From miles 20-26, another good friend, Jamie, ran alongside me. The first thing she did when we started running was to pray with me, for me. That's what we need in our life race, too. We need the support of our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us persevere, to encourage us to just keep going, to pray for us and with us, to just simply be with us. My kids were the best fans on the whole marathon course----they made posters with Bible verses and encouraging words and cheered like nobody else every time they saw me. That, too, helped me to persevere. How could I not keep running when my daughters sign read: "God got you this far, Mommy, you can do it!" And those are wise words for all of us----God has carried us this far in our walk with Him, let us persevere, even if the road is long and it feels all uphill.
"...keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith." The real goal of any person who runs a marathon is to finish. Every person who finishes a marathon is adorned with a medal (nice big, heavy one in my case), and greeted with hugs, cheers, and a spread of food like you've never seen. Whether you're the first to finish, or the very last, you still get the same reward. So it is in our walk with Jesus. He is our goal. He is our purpose. We journey through this life to make Him look good, in the hopes of one day being with Him. My goal is not to be the first to be with Jesus, but to simply, when this life is over, be with Him and to share in the joy of His Kingdom with all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. We will share in the celebrating together, whether we finished strong, or hobbling along. If I had taken my mind off of my goal at any point during my marathon training or during the race, I certainly would not have finished. If I quit setting my mind on Christ, if I don't seek Him daily receive HIM as my goal, my purpose, my treasure,my Savior, my meaning in life, I will, when this life is over, stop short of the finish line, and I will lose the most important race of my life.
The verses preceding the one I've been thinking about here say, "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off....." As I approached the finish line of the marathon, for the last 3/10 of mile the street was crammed with people cheering for every runner. Many of the people cheering were runners who had already finished their race. In this verse, the great cloud of witnesses, refers to the saints who have gone before us, who have already finished their life race, and who are urging us to persevere in our walk with God and to keep our eyes on Christ . For me, it was particularly meaningful that my kids ran along with me that final quarter of a mile, and that when I crossed the finish line, they were with me. I imagine my grandparents, great grandparents, and their grandparents, etc... all standing in that cloud of witnesses encouraging me on, and I'm sure they are hoping I will leave the same legacy to my children that they have left to me. I want to finish the race well, but I also really do want my children, all of my loved ones and friends to cross the finish line, too. My prayer is that all of you who are even taking the time to read this will fix your eyes, your heart, and your mind on Jesus, that you'll give Him your life, trust Him to save you from your sin and fill your life with purpose and meaning. I pray that those of you who are not yet running the race of the Christian life will join me, and that one day, we may celebrate at the finish together.
So, did I qualify for Boston? No. Did I break 4 hours? Not even. Did I win (as Joseph truly believed I would!)? Absolutely. And it was all by God's grace, and for His glory--- as is the race of my life.
