Run to Win

     Recently I had the pleasure of cheering on the sidelines of a middle school track- meet. My favorite runner – my grandson – was barreling down the track, passing them all – leaving most in the dust. This, the final meet of the short season was a test to win – to beat all previously run times – his own and all the others. Oh, and run he did – with everything in him. With single focus, pointed directly toward that finish line, he pushed with every fiber, every cell, and every breath to WIN! The sounds around him – the cheers of the crowd, the track at his feet and even the pounding of his own heart – were not heard. Every concern, discomfort and thought was set aside for the joy of the run.

     What we don’t see at this track-meet is all the physical conditioning that is put in before today’s “pop” of the starters gun; the daily pushing of those muscles and their throbbing pain in the night watches, the pounding headaches from over exertion and rapid dehydration, as well as the skinned, torn, twisted tissue and tendons as the track often reaches out to win those trial races. These times – hidden from the cheering crowd – are the times where the decision to endure are won or lost.

     We too, are on a similar track, a similar race – our life journey – our race. Our WIN is already promised – it belongs to us through the cross of Christ. But, our race is not an easy one, it is meant to be RUN with endurance. It will require times of determination and physical conditioning. We must cross that finish line. We must have a single focus on that prize! We must not hear or allow all the distractions, concerns and discomforts of daily life to overcome us. We must endure – push past the relational hurts and disappointments, financial struggles, physical illness’ – all those throbbing, pounding, torn and twisted pieces that are part of this race of life. Jesus already promised us the win – the decision is IF you will endure to the finish line – IF you will focus on the prize – for this is the time where you decide to obtain it! Decide to run your race with endurance to receive the prize that is waiting at finish line – and run it well – with every fiber, every cell, and every breath you have been given.

Run to WIN – run for the joy of the run!

I Corinthians 9:24. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives he prize? So run that you may obtain it, (ESV)

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (ESV)

Fly – Jump – Run! The Gold Medal Awaits You!

As a mom it’s been my joy to watch my kids play, jump and run – nothing is out of reach. They fall down, we pick them up; they skin a knee, we bandage it; they even break a bone or need a few stitches in the process. But during this time in these little lives we see a freedom that most of us lose – a freedom to believe we can fly, we can reach the stars if we jump high enough, we can run the “fastest” and always WIN.

Let’s consider an Olympic gold medalist. This winner does not get to the winners platform by happenstance – not because another saw a talent, not because of special treatment but because of single focus. The journey began with love and passion – one step, one direction at a time. When this day arrived, the gun went off, the race began and the only focus was forward; there could be nothing but the finish line. Deep down inside the winner will WIN and so faith and focus prevail!

Once the gun went off was there a backward look to evaluate the “near miss”, maybe just a glance to see the cheering crowd, or for sure, to check out how far ahead of the competitors they were?

NEVER ONCE – for looking back for any reason causes distraction and can quickly end the race due to unexpected failure.

Just as in the natural so is our race in the spiritual. We often live our lives looking backwards. We find ourselves living in past hurts, joys, wishful thinking and regrets – all of which cause distractions and derailment of God’s plan in our lives. The faith for the impossible – the faith for tomorrow’s new adventures, and the finish line wins all get sidelined. We have forgotten that we can fly, we can reach the stars and we can run the “fastest” and always WIN.

When you find yourself in this place how do you get back in the race?

Just like the Olympic winner – it takes single focus! Our single focus has to be on the face of Jesus! He is and always is FOR YOU! Just ask – He will restore what has been lost so that just like a child you can jump back up, get back in the race and make it to the finish line a winner. He can restore the belief that you can fly, you can reach the stars and you can run the “fastest” and always WIN.

Don’t look back – look forward to what He has placed within you!  Get up and move one step at a time into His impossible opportunities in your life.  Run, Run, Run like a child again – for then comes the freedom to believe, the freedom to see yourself the winner that you are!

Fly – Jump – Run for the gold medal awaits you!

Philippians 3:13-14 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But, one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

Photo courtesy of chrisroll@freedigitalphotos.net