12.08.09
The Race
Lexi was nervous as she lined up on the starting line for her second State Cross-Country meet. She was so scared that she was shaking. I pulled her of the line and told her that she had a job to do. She had a race to run that required all her focus and attention. Her fear about the outcome would hinder the outcome. Just do the job you trained all season to do and let the future take care of itself. She understood and began to focus on the task at hand. Anyone looking at her could tell she had shifted her focus. Just a few minutes later she was going up the last hill of the race. It was the second time up this large hill and she looked at me with panic in her eyes. She said, “Coach, I’m not sure I can make it.” I said, “Do your job.” Lexi did her job. She finished third in the race and was selected to the All-State Team. She had finished tenth the year before.
Our walk with Christ is very similar. We have a job to do as children of the Most High God. The job isn’t always pleasant and often very difficult. We get tired and are not even sure we can finish the “race set before us.” Have you ever felt like that? I know I have. We often go to passages like Philippians 4:13 that teach us we can do all things through Christ. However, it still feels as if we are alone. I think this happens because we forget that God uses other brothers and sisters in Christ to help us through those difficult times in life’s race to the finish. God allows Christ to work through us through others in Christ. Remember Lexi’s race? She had help running that race. Who was that help, me. As her coach I was able to help her focus on the race set before her when she was fearful. I was able to help her finish it during the difficult part of the race when she didn’t think she could do it.
Let me ask you a question. Who do you have in your life that can help you focus on the important things of your daily walk with Christ? Who do you have who will be honest enough to clearly tell you that you have a job to do? We all need these kind of mature godly people in our lives. I know I do. If you already have someone like this in your life, make sure you thank God for them. You might even want to take them out to lunch to say, “thank you”. If you don’t have anyone in your life like that, then pray that God would help you find one and begin to look around. God will provide someone to help you run the race that He has set before you.
Its time for me to run (yes, I thought that was clever),
P. Mark
Tammy said,
December 8, 2009 at 2:19 pm
I think you are clever as well! Anyone who really knows me will tell you that I have always wanted to be a runner. But God did not design me that way, even when I was young and skinny. But this is a race I can run…..serving Christ.
Joe Lage said,
December 9, 2009 at 12:17 am
Hello, Pastor Mark
I enjoyed your blog as always, and am very thankful that Sardis is full of people on a daily walk with God! People that are willing to encourage and strengthen those who are going through lifes struggles and strifes that we all face from time to time. I also enjoyed your sermon this past Sunday. I left without letting you know how helpful the message was to me. Thank you again, for everything you’re doing at Sardis!
Thomas said,
December 10, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I ran once but my mom caught me.