Running

Walking with God is a challenge or as the Apostle Paul put it; a race. If anyone thinks it is easy then I might have to wonder, “are they really in the running?” or perhaps, “is it they are just beginning?” Either way, if you have ever run a race before then you would know from experience that the beginning is always the easiest.

I myself had the opportunity to participate in a race once and believe me, for me, this was no small feat. I ran a half marathon with a friend of mine a couple of years back and trained for all of three months I think. Thankfully though, I did have some residual left from the previous year I had spent running, so physically I wasn’t starting from complete scratch. But thinking back, wow, ya just three months and then I embarked on a half marathon and I will never forget the experience.

It was a clear day in the North West, sunny with mild temperatures. Perfect running weather. They gave us our numbers, we pinned them on. I was pumped! Everyone lining up, a mob of people really, and I knew I wasn’t there to win, I was just there for the experience of it. I was just there to finish. I had been training (though just three months) and the farthest I had ever run up until that point was all of eight miles, nevermind that today I was looking at thirteen. “If I made it to ten (running)” I told myself, “then I would be happy.”

At the sound of the pistol the crowd took off! “Pace yourself,” my friend says and I know she’s right. Too much too soon and I will have nothing left over when I near the end. So, we take it pretty leisurely, enjoying the scenery.

“Mile one, mile two, mile three,” and I feel great! There are people cheering everyone along the way. Short pit stops to grab a quick cup of gatorade, orange slice, and then “carry on! Carry on!” We keep running.

“Mile four, mile five, mile six,” and everything around us is so pretty as I can think of nothing more beautiful than the North West on a sunny day. Ya, it’s at this point the endorphines have really kicked in.

“Mile seven, mile eight, mile nine. Mile nine?” Yes, mile nine! and I think to myself “and look! I’m still running! and I still feel great!” and even I am amazed. This is the farthest I have ever run before in all my life and I feel as though I will never run out of energy. I even remember joking with my friend at this point, “they should give us medals for this!”

Then… “MILE TEN” and imagine if you will some ominous music as I hit the marker, “du-du-du-du!” and not only me but my friend too who has never run a half marathon either. At mile ten it was as if our bodies just gave out, crying, “I’ve had enough of this!” Just plodding along now. Every part of my body hurting; arms, legs, torso. Everything I think but my brain. My friend too is giving out, “I have to stop,” she says, “I have to walk.” “No,” I encourage her, “you can do this!” “No,” she says, shaking her head. “Just let me walk, for a little bit,” and so she walks, “you go on ahead” she says but I am not wanting to leave her. Afterall, she’s the one who had encouraged me to do this half marathon to begin with and so I think to myself, “I am not in this to win,” and believe me, I wasn’t even anywhere close to placing, “I am just in this to finish and to finish running this race with my friend.”

And so… I walk, but in my attempt to walk with her for some reason walking for my body is even more painful than running. “Oh my god,” I say, “it is too painful to walk!” and again I have to start running, it was either that or stop all together which really wasn’t an option so, “come on,” I tell her, “we can do this, you can do this! It’s only three more miles!”

Yes, it was just three more miles, three more miles of grueling pain, but you know what? Together we ran it and we finished and when we came across the finish line, guess what? They put medals around our necks! Ya, I kid you not. Who would’ve thought it!

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Hebrews 12:1-3).