I have decided to run the Chicago marathon this year. I am going to run this with Team World Vision*. A marathon is 26.2 miles long (42Km). This would be impossible for me to do today so I need to prepare myself quite a bit. So today I took my first step of commitment towards this noble goal, if I may say so myself. We (Amy, Kate Isaac and I) went to the local runners store to get Isaac and me fitted for shoes. I bought a pair and so now that I have put money toward running this marathon my level of commitment is higher than that is was this morning.
As I was running up and down the stores length to see how each shoe felt I got to think about what Paul said in Ephesians 6:15. See at the first information meeting we received the advice that the very first thing you do to prepare yourself for a race is to get fitted with good shoes. Good shoes prevent injuries and make running easier. Paul writes that we should put on the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of truth. Just like I put on the shoes of the preparation of the marathon.
Another thing that was said in that meeting was that because of the layout of the marathon there is not a single space in the race where there aren't people on the sidelines supporting the runners. You get to wear your name on the front of your shirt adn these supporters will yell: 'Yeah, Joshua, you can do it you are the best (.....ever)' and thing like that to really build you up as you pass by. I am so curious to see all this in action. But then I remebered that Hebrews 12:1 says:
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us,
let us also lay aside every encumbrance and this sin which so easily entangles us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"
Do you really grasp this? does this hit you like it did me? Man do I realize that even though I am still in the earliest preparations of this coming race that this verse is so vital to our walk with the Father. I need to get over all my little excuses of why I don't want to run today. Especially if I realize the amazing supporters that are standing along the way yelling out my name and building me up. 1 Corinthians 9:24 asks "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only only receives a prize?" When I realized that these simple analogies are so applicable in what I am preparing for right now I had to take a good look at my spiritual fitness. Do I walk with endurance? Do I train to win? Do I have the end in mind? Do I let myself be enticed by these distractions? Am I training to build up my endurance?
Endurance........
That is not accomplished over night that is the result of repeatedly practicing to have the ability to exert yourself for a long period of time. Am I training for that spiritually? Are you? They told us that running is a very spiritual thing and that it would most likely deepen our relationship with God and others. I know that I am going to grow spiritually as I prepare myself for this race. I know this for a fact. I just didn't think it woul start this early, after all I have only just bought my running shoes.
1 Corinthians 9:24 continues: "Run in such a way that you may win." This is what I want to do. I want to cross that finish line and hear the words: "Well done my good and faithful servant."
Will you run with me?
*World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
My brother Paul and his lovely wife Marieke have been here or the last five days. It has been o much fun that it was hard to say good bey this morning. On Thursday we went to downtown and spent the day there. This was so much fun that we deprived Judah of his nap in the process. Amy joined us in the evening for some real chicagoan style pizza, my favorite. On the way back as we were changing from the red line to the brown we had to wait a few minutes for the train to arive. hudddled under the heat lamps we were enjoying a delerious Judah. There were a few other people standing under these lights that seemed to enjoy our young bundle of hyeractivity. One of the older ladies started to interact with him and asked him a few questions among which she asked him what he wants to be when he grows up. Judah hit a shy spell and decided not to answer this ladie. She tehn continued to ask him if he wanted to be a doctor when he grows up to which he replies: "No,....... I am a boy." This made me laugh and I explained to the woman that his mom is a doctor. I looked to my brother and added "He would love to be a princess though."
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