Let Us Run Our Race Focused On Jesus
On August 17, 2013, I posted my first Pastor's Pondering describing my experience with running. To bring you up to date, on November 27, 2023, I ran my most recent 5K race. Unfortunately, I fell at the beginning of the race, hurt my knee, fractured my rib but ran anyway. I even tripped over my youngest daughter's feet, but other runners picked me up and I continued to run. My youngest daughter wore bright pink shoes, and I chose to forget the pain and other people, and to just to focus on her shoes for the remainder of the 3.1 miles.
During the race I felt okay but afterwards I noticed the damage to my knee, and it would be a few weeks before I learned of my rib fracture.
I’ve now been running ten years and I have learned that it is important to focus on my destination despite the many obstacles and to finish the course. The August 17, 2013, Pastor’s Pondering blog, is a reminder that God wants us to focus on Him and “that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”(Philippians 1:6).
August 17, 2013
Recently, I have had a major lifestyle change. Because of my youngest daughter’s encouragement, I have begun to run three- and six-mile races. Until I started racing, my past runs were limited to running to the refrigerator. Now I am eagerly preparing for a 13.1-mile half-marathon race this fall.
When I run, I am reminded of the race that Jesus spoke about in Hebrews. I put aside everything that might distract me or slow me down. I run despite the pain in my legs, sweat on my forehead, laborious breathing, and sometimes nausea in my stomach. But when I complete my race, all the effort is forgotten. I am thrilled at being a part of a group of finishers. Some ran faster than others and others just walked, but we finished our course.
Today is a bright new day for each of us. God has given all of us a unique opportunity to begin over again on a fresh path. He encourages us to forget about past failures, missed chances and failed goals. We are all standing at our own unsullied starting line. It does not matter how we performed yesterday; we can run this race with patience. We can get through our difficulties, our challenges, our failures, and our victories. We can run with joy knowing that Jesus is leading us.
Happy running with Jesus!
Philippians 1:6
New International Version
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1, 2
New International Version (NIV)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith...
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