And Victories Along The Way

By this time tomorrow, I will be in the midst of running a marathon.  And like so many of us with challenges ahead of us  -- marathons in many forms -- there is always the daunting question of "Can I do this?" followed quickly by the promise of the LORD, "I will be right there with you."

When I went to pick up my race number yesterday, I stood next to this poster of some of the fastest marathoners on earth.  And while we are all running the same course, they will be already finished the race by the time I even reach half-way.

But in God's eyes, success doesn't always come from crossing the finish line first.  A cyclist friend of ours once raced in Europe with resounding defeats and bad races, one after another.  But he came home jubiliant, having realized, "God doesn't need our victories to bring Him glory."

A friend emailed me this week, bummed by the news of my sore foot, blaming it on my time with the grand kids.  "Go take care of that foot," she wrote, "and win that race."

I plan to, Betty.  To do my best in whatever God places on my path, to do it with excellence in all things, with all my might, and take great joy in doing that.

First place or last.  God works something deeper than we can behold.  There are always bigger things to conquer than what appears on the surface.  I don't want to wear a bib number in this race.  I want to bear the name of Jesus.

And in whatever we do,
      in whatever "place" we are,
not just what we run
                   but in how we do it,
we can bring Him glory.


...but this 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.

                              Philippians 3. 13-14


You shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your might.

                            Deuteronomy 6.5

Even in this.