Thoughts From the Half (Marathon, That is)
Many of you may know that I ran (well, actually walked) in a half-marathon. That’s 13.1 miles. Perhaps you might even know that I set a goal to finish in under 4 hours. (My time was 3.48.41) For those of you who know nothing of this-Surprise!!!! My second goal was that I wanted to walk across the finish line-not be carried. Thanks to the encouragement of my friends, I met all the above goals. My church family and my co-workers were cheering me on through this big idea. My pastors prayed for me, my friend drove me and watched me finish and didn’t laugh too hard when I couldn’t walk up the curbs upon completion of the event and my co-workers covered me as I hobbled around the Monday after the event.
But as all of you know, Jesus is the most important person in my life and I really wanted to glorify God through this event. As many of you might also know, seminary is in my past and probably in my future. This is my attempt to put into words all the glory due our most High and Awesome God.
This half marathon was much like my walk as a Christian. I started out all fired up for the adventure ahead, meeting people, text messaging my friend and support, Jackie, and trying to call my friends from the singles group who were walking too. A little training and I was ready. I felt the same way after I attended The Kings Seminary. I was all fresh and happy and empowered.
Someplace along the walk, it became long, lonely, and painful like after the husband years. Where are you, My Lord? My child, I carried you. Then the pain,
| Where are you now my Lord? My child, finish the race I set before you. But (Isn’t it funny how we usually want to argue with the Lord!), my feet hurt soooooo bad, how can I walk. Just one step at a time, my child. Kind of like when Steve died- just one step at a time, only one step is all I can do. (And exactly why am I crying as I write this-my feet quit hurting in the middle of last night!). One step is all I ask-remember you can do all things as I strengthen you.
OK I’ll do one more step, but then I’m going to the side and stop. No, my child, one more step. I was playing my Christian music and I learned from my pastor that when you’re really down, one way out of the pit is to start worshiping.
I hurt, feel like I can’t go on and I’m supposed to worship-yeah right! But since I was on the part of the course where there were no cheering fans, and I couldn’t see the finish line, I thought that it was just me and the Lord so why not, which parallels my life as a single person. So I start singing with the ipod, lifting my hands (which by the way were ouchy too!) and guess what happened?
Where is the pain in my feet? Where are the hurting, swollen hands? What’s that in front of me? The Finish Line? What does that clock say? Under 4 Hours? What’s this? A medal that says “Finisher!” Oh I just can’t Praise the Lord loud enough. I finished the race set before me and I captured the prize. All the Glory to God! Not my own strength but His. I am empowered once again. Praising the Lord.
