I started my run a few blocks from the trail head and just as I approached the start of the levee another gentlemen started down the path.  Uh-no!  a rabbit.   So as I rounded the first turn and could see across the levee for quite a distance I noticed there were several runners and walkers out in front of me.  One by one, I placed my eyes on the back of the individual in front of me and ran them down.  As I approached the first mile, I noticed another runner in the distance, maybe 1/4 mile ahead, and sub consciously I fixed in on him.  I traveled through the first mile 15 seconds faster than I wanted, but I was feeling so fleet a foot and completely in control.  I continued ahead, slowly gaining on the object of my fixation.   I come along side the final runner with about a third of a mile to my turn around marker, the two-mile.  We arrived together at the two-mile mark more than 20 seconds faster than my intended pace and even faster than the first mile. Yes!

He was continuing down the path, so we parted ways and I turned around.  Since there were no returning runners in front of me, I had nothing to focus on but to gloat of my achievements!  And as you can guess, my time greatly reduced on the two miles back in.

This morning, I came across these great proverbs

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.

26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.

27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

I could not help but be reminded of my trip across the levee last night.  As long as I had someone to focus on, to fix my gaze directly on, I was in the zone.  Moving efficiently and effectively towards the target – actually not even realizing the effort I was giving!  But as soon as I had no focus.  As soon as I could observe the grass, and the distance, and the birds, and get absorbing in myself gratifying thoughts, my efficiently was greatly reduced.

So it is with our spirits!  Make sure you are focused on the right thing today.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews 12:2 NIV

 ^10-14I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles. Philippians 4:10-14 The Message (MSG)

I was actually shown this clip on Wednesday night.  The group of men that I met with on Wednesdays are planning to spend the month of October talking about fatherhood, and more importantly being courageous as a father.  This study actually coincides with today’s release of the new movie “Courageous“, which I urge all of you to find some time to go see.  ( if you are in the Chattanooga area – there is a large group of men going to view this movie Monday night – please join us!)

So, back to the point. during our time on Wednesday, we reviewed this video about Ben Comen, a high school cross country runner with Cerebral Palsy.

Really, you need to check out this video.  It’s an ESPN piece from a few years ago.  This dude has a lot of courage and a lot of strength to push himself despite his physical disadvantage.  If you don’t have time today, please take the 8 minutes this weekend to watch this little clip, I think you will be glad you did.

And then you can take encouragement from Ben, as you fight against whatever uphill, unbalanced, and rocky challenge  you are dealing with as you run through your life.  Hopefully, you will be able to look at whatever is knocking you down with a little more courage and strength – after all, we have Him on our side.

That got me thinking about Hebrews 12.

¹Therefore, 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, Hebrews 12:1 New International Version (NIV)

“Hey, are you still running?” he asked me.

“Yes”, I replied.

He then commented “Not me, I am just getting fat and lazy.  That’s the difference between runners and joggers, runners keep running.”

To which I said “Well, you can do it, it’s just one step at a time”

and he finished as we parted ways,  “You are right. No excuses. I just have to get out there and go!”

Yep, and that is the same way with our spirituality, we can be a spiritual jogger or runner. But I think we are pushed to be runners:

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. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 New International Version (NIV)

Which are you going to be a fat and lazy jogger, or a running who keeps going.  Get out there and go, or as the Message says “Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in.“

And of course a day and a post about running sends me directly to one of my favorite verses in the whole entire bible. Yes, the one over in 2 Corinthians that I used to have on my wall in my bedroom when I was a young boy right next to my running goals.

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. ²⁷ No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, New International Version)

And as most of you know this is the cornerstone verse for this blog, when it is take from the American Standard Version:

²⁴ Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.

²⁵ And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

²⁶ I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:

²⁷ but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, American Standard Version)

On the National Running Day web site, they have various statements that fill in the I Run… badge that you see at the top of this post.  I think this verse is a pretty good way to fill in that statement – “I Run.. with certainty, making my body my slave, and winning the prize!’

Get out and run a little today, even if it is from the front porch to the mailbox and back. And more importantly, run the race of life in a way as to get the prize and keep on buffeting your spiritual body each and every day!

It seemed that maybe I was being sent a message? I took these two chance encounters as encouragement to keep on my own training program, and last night I banged out a nice eight miler.

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 (New International Version, ©2011)

Sometimes it’s just a simple thing can bring huge amounts of motivation and encouragement. As you approach the day today, look for ways that you can encourage those around you. It may be just by doing what you need to be doing as my two running partners where, or it may mean going out of you way just a little to keep others uplifted!

13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13 (New International Version, ©2011)

Over the break, Amy pointed out a story to me about a suicidal heroin addict named Shane Niemeyer, who turned himself into an Iron-man Triathlete.   When Shane was asked about his change he said that the triathlons gave him what he needed – a purpose.  Man, isn’t that great!

But here is what is greater.  Check this out from Ephesians 2.

3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God has given us not only a purpose – to do good, but he also has provided us with forgiveness, and a reward.  If Shane can go from the depths of despair to becoming a triathlete, just think what you can do!

I can now leave behind what was in 2010 and start fresh and new as I approach the problems and situations at work with a new view and a renewed vigor that only comes from some time away and with a newly rediscovered purpose!

Let the year begin!

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (New International Version)

It was a reminder to me to physically train and to run everyday. It is still one of my favorite verses and it continues to remind me to train physically and spiritually everyday, not like someone out of a nice little jog, or someone with no purpose, but to win the prize.

While I was doing some research yesterday for another subject I stumbled upon this video by Biblical Historian and Holy Lands Tour Guide Ray Vander Laan. You may have seen some of his on location bible studies, which are usually quite informative and inspirational. In this clip he references this verse while standing in an ancient Olympic stadium. Take a listen to this ‘locker room speech’:

I remember my father talking about Cross Country runners who would give so much to the race that they would be on hands and knees barfing after the race. They gave it all ( or they ate the wrong thing before the race). Regardless, they push themselves has hard as they could to win.

Give it your all for your Lord today. Don’t crawl, don’t walk, Run. Don’t hold back, don’t leave it out there, run for the King!

So off I went into the night down the street.  It’s been a long time since I had run in the dark and it always seems that the darkness at 11pm is darker then the darkness at 6am.  Not sure why, but it seemed a whole lot darker and more ominous then when I run in the mornings.  Anyway, on with the story and away from boring not needed details like this sentence.  I noticed that I really could not see the road in front of me, outside of the few times I crossed the path of a street light or a porch light.  The rest of the time, I was just running in the general direction of the road towards the lights I could see in the distance.

It struck me how much this is like life.  We spend so many parts of our life not really sure of the road we are on, not able to clearly see what lies right in front of us, but we continue pushing onward, towards the light, towards the hope that lies out there, trusting that the road will be there.

I have recently added a few Fireflight songs to my playlist and this reminds me of the lyrics of their song Unbreakable

Sometimes it’s hard to just keep going
But faith is moving without knowing
Can I trust what I can’t see to reach my destiny?

and later in the song

Forget the fear it’s just a crutch
That tries to hold you back
And turn your dreams to dust
All you need to do is just trust

Even as I approached my house I could see the faint outline of the porch light reflecting off my mailbox, but I could not make out the house, or bushes around it.  I was hoping there was not a huge coyote or man eating night stalking creature in the shadows.

But that’s us.  Pushing forward, trusting, moving with faith, uncertain of  the road, but certain of the destination.

¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (New International Version)

Keep your focus today!  Stay strong, and keep running!