RUNNING TO LOSE – PART 2

If you would have told me that It was possible for me to run four miles continuously a year ago I would never have believed you.  Yet here I am at age 52 and running 4 miles a day.  It was only 6 months ago that I began walking and even then I could only go for 3 miles before I was worn out.

Recently, I went through the logs that I had kept of my daily walks and runs.  I totaled up the laps I had turned through the summer and I was surprised at the results.  From the beginning of April to the end of September, I walked 2,711 laps on the track.  This converts to 774 miles, which is about the distance from here to “Mayberry”.  I could have run all the way home by now, if I could run in a straight line.  If I continue these laps over the next 5 years, I will have made several trips home.  Actually, I go there all the time now in my memories.  The best trip of them all will be that day I am released from custody and I am able to ride with my bride, Jeannie, for the last trip away from here.

It must seem like I am proud of my accomplishment.  It is true that I am proud of what I was able to do.  After all, running 4 miles was not something that I thought I would ever want to do.  However, I must be careful not to become prideful.  I have learned from my past mistakes what happens to a person when they are full of pride.  They tend to fall and fall hard as the Bible warns us. I once allowed my life to be full of pride and I fell; shattering my life and bringing collateral damage to those around me.  It was not pretty and I am still paying the price.  I don't want pride to build up in my life. I am grateful for the nice comments I have received from others.  But I cannot take credit for this accomplishment.  Yes, I made a commitment to get in better shape.  Yes, I made the effort to get on the track and walk.  Yes, I did push myself past the barriers that held me back for most of my life to make goals and meet them.  But the real credit goes to the one who answered my prayers, My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

You see, last winter when the cold winds blew keeping us inside the lodge with a very sedentary lifestyle, I struggled to keep fresh and alert. The dark cold days seemed endless.  It felt like a heavy fog rolled in and would not leave.  I was getting frustrated and discouraged.  So I prayed and asked my Heavenly Father to clear this fog and bring me clarity again.  I never would have expected this answer to come through running.  But this is how God chose to bring me out of this fog.  He always knows what is best for me.

I believe that we often get so caught up in our routines of life that we lose sight of our God-given purpose.  I wrote about this in a previous post about getting stuck in a rut.  Now I can look back and see how God used this focus on my physical health to steer me out of the fog.  He gave me a fresh, new perspective, which allowed me to see with better clarity.  A welcome break from the obstructed view caused by the fog.  But I think it has other applications as well.  The Apostle Paul wrote about this in Corinthians.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?  So run that you may obtain it.  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.  They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.  1 Corinthians 9.24-27 ESV

See we are called to exercise self-control in ALL AREAS of our life.  Not just for the temporary bodies we live in now, but for our eternal life with Christ.  Don't get me wrong here; we should take care of our bodies.  We need to be in good shape to live this life for God's purpose. Something I have not done very well for most of my life.  What I believe we so often miss is the big picture. We need to see life at a 50,000-foot level.  Are we caught up in the day-to-day life or are we living for eternity?  Did God put us here to achieve the American Dream we hear so much about? Go to college, get married, have a family, get a good career and work hard, save money, retire and go golfing till we die? Or does God have a bigger plan for us? A plan to serve him and bring glory to him.

I believe Paul is telling us to prepare our lives now for the most important life; our eternal life with Christ in Heaven. It is there we will receive our rewards from the creator of life.  Paul is telling me that I should apply self-control in exercising the Godly disciplines that make me more Christ-like.  Disciplines like: Praying more, studying the Bible more, memorizing scripture more, meditating on scripture more.  These are the disciplines that will help me to produce the Fruits of the Spirit; the diversified orchard that God calls us to produce.  These are areas that I know that I need to develop more.  (Especially scripture memorization.) 

My brain is old and I have tried to commit verses to memory.  Yet I fail and fail at remembering the verses much like I failed to run a mile since high school.  So If God can help me develop self-control and discipline to run 4 miles, why can't He help me remember more scripture?  The same is true for studying the Bible.  I have started and stopped this effort many times leaving me to feel like a failure.  When I lost 42 lbs I gained many compliments and developed a new habit of running and eating.  What would Jesus say if I simply chose to stop there?  I really want to hear Jesus compliment me for knowing him better; for having a more intimate relationship with him, for memorizing His love letter to me. This is the prize that really matters.

So I will use this experience I had with running and use the same tools with some modification to help me gain control of these Godly disciplines.  God showed me how they work with improving my physical health. Now I can use them to improve my spiritual health.  I know that I can't do this on my own.  So I will ask for help from the Holy Spirit. I will add my commitment, I will make an effort, I will push forward,  I will trust Him.

Winter is coming again.  It will be cold and they will lock us inside when the snow falls heavy.  This is time I can use to develop these disciplines that will help me win the race.

I want to finish the race well.  I want to the win the crown my Savior has for me.  I want to hear him tell me "Well Done my good and faithful servant."  So I will pursue Him. I want eternity with God more than the American dream. The latter is not promised but eternity with Jesus is. I will invest in Him.

McFreedom

 Picture of "Coach" and Bryan in front of the Chapel wall and Bryan after losing 42 pounds!!!