Running the Race...

This past Sunday, on Valentine's Day, I ran my 1st half marathon!  I ran in celebration of the freedom that Christ Jesus has brought into my life... freedom that can only come from Him!  My running verse is:

"I run in the path of Your commands,

for You have set my heart free!"

Psalm 119:32

I run because Jesus has set me free...

I run because my body is the temple of His Holy Spirit and I desire for it to be a fit place for His Presence... 

I run to keep in shape, so I can do the things He calls me to do...

I run to clear my mind and for stress relief...

I run to spend time with my Savior... the time I spend running is devoted to talking to my Lord and listening for His voice...

Throughout my training my Lord has taught me many lessons.  This has been a spiritual journey just as much as it has been a physical journey.  I wanted to share just a few of the things He has taught me...

No one can do the training for me.  If I want to run the race I have to do the training... it is a choice.  Just as no one can seek His face for me... If I want to know my Lord more intimately, if I want a closer walk with Him, I have to make the time to spend in His Word and in prayer.  I have to choose Him over other things, even other good things...   And just as the strength and endurance come from the training, so does the deeper walk and closer intimacy with Him come from spending the time in His Word and in prayer.


Even if no one is there to cheer me on, I can still run the race.  Approximately 2 weeks before the race my husband found out he was going to have to go out of town for work.  Now, he almost never travels for work.  In the past 12 years he has worked at his job he has had to go out of town maybe 2 times.  Needless to say, I was very, very disappointed... I really wanted him and the boys at the finish line.  I wanted them to cheer me on...   He even tried to get some people to be at the finish line, but couldn't...  However, God had a lesson for me!  He taught me that even if no one is cheering me on here on this earth, my Father in Heaven is cheering for me in the spiritual realm.  I was running for Him and He wanted my eyes on Him, not on whoever might be there cheering for me...  And there are things He calls me to do daily that no one cheers me on in.  I am not to let that discourage me, I am to keep my eyes on Him, and He will, through His Spirit, graciously encourage me to keep going...

Endurance is the key, for the physical race and the spiritual race.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, 

let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, 

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, 

who for the joy 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 has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself,

so that you may not grow weary and lose heart."  

Hebrews 12:1-3

My Lord taught me that just as I need physical endurance to make it across that finish line, I need spiritual endurance to make it in this spiritual journey I am on.  I am to consider Jesus, who endured in the face of hostility and rejection,  who endured for the joy that was to come, who kept His eyes on His Father in Heaven, and who stayed focused on the goal, which was redeeming us from our sins.  So during my training and on race day, when I felt weary or tired, when my muscles felt tight and I wondered if I would make, I turned my focus away from myself and toward my Lord.  I would begin to praise Him for the freedom He has given me, for the many gifts, spiritual and physical, He has blessed me with, and for the countless ways He has shown me His love (after all, the race was on Valentine's Day, how could I not think of His amazing love!).  And do you know what happened in those times?  Those were the absolute best times of my running... He empowered me with physical and spiritual strength to continue on, and not to just continue on wearily, but to continue on victoriously in His power and strength!

And by His strength and His power I continued on, straight to that finish line!  And what a joyous feeling that was!!  How I praise Him and thank Him for loving me and setting me free, and for giving me feet to run for Him!

And for those who are curious... I ran the 13.1 miles in 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 51 seconds!  To God be all the glory!!