Are we there yet?

This past week I had a chance to run a half marathon with my family.  It was a perfect event.  I never would have thought that I would ever run something like this, but my wife has inspired me to endure, push forward, and complete the run.

While running the race there were several observations I made, and I love how they compare with life…

First is the start.  Here you are with over 15,000 people and it is amazing standing in the midst of such a large crowd.  When the gun goes off and the people start, you can do nothing but run.  The adrenaline kicks in and the excitement drives you forward. No matter how many races you run, the beginning is always a great event.

As the race progresses you see people slow down.  Some people start getting hurt from falling or a knee gives out.  My wife would ask people when they fall down if she could help them and if they were OK.  It was amazing how many people just run by and do nothing.

There are so many different types of runners.  I am amazed that when you have been running your hardest, you catch up with people that are at least 100 pounds or more over weight pushing as hard or harder than the elite runner.  You can see people digging deep to have the accomplishment of completing the race.

The sidelines are filled with people cheering for their family, as well as, workers helping with the event screaming,” Go! You can do it!” and “You can make it to the finish!” Also, there are bands, cheer leaders, people offering drinks and Goo (sports food), and some just looking at the runners like we are all crazy.

I can relate with the people that are looking at runners as if they are crazy.  I have been there, looking at runners as crazy people and now that I have run, I get it.  I am not a pro but I know the hours it takes to get ready to run then actually being in a race.  The key is not about winning the race but about finishing it!

Paul uses this as an example with our faith in life in Hebrews 12. Every time I run a race I think of this passage.

For me the winner is Jesus.  He ran the race and showed me how it is done.

My wife has shown me spiritual leadership and maturity. I have now realized that I need to run ahead and be the leader.  Men should start being the leader, but it seems that women ‘get it’ faster than men.  God instructs men to be the spiritual leader in the home, therefore, we need to rise up and get the job done.

So many people getting hurt or have sin in their life are the people that we need to disciple.  How can we be used by God in this race of life?  The overweight people are all the different people running this race.  I know I have run races being very over weight and have run the race being at the weight I need to be.  The difference is the stuff that entangles us.  All in all, some will finish, some will try and barely make it, and some will not make it at all.

The people on the sidelines are either the great cloud of witnesses that have finished the race or the people that are not even in a race. Either way, they have a part in this event.

In another race, I had ran 6 miles without even stopping and I was not even breathing hard.  I asked my wife what was going on and she responded with “this is what you call being conditioned!”  You may wonder why I would ask this question but I had never been a runner, I had always made fun of runners, and now I am a runner.  This represented the act of ‘getting it’!  Understanding life to a point that I was running on faith!

How are you doing in the race?  Are you running?  Are you just watching?  Are you entangled with so much that the race is too overwhelming?  If you say you believe in God, are your actions the same as what you believe?  What can you do to be prepared for the race in life?  How can you start getting conditioned?  If you are running, what are you doing to help others?

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