Lessons From The Race (A): What Happened?
Oh Lord... You are funny. A couple months back I registered for a full marathon that is coming up in a few weeks. In actuality, I have wanted to do a marathon for close to five years. It was a faint, back burner goal to do one before my 30th birthday. Then I thought about it again before my 32nd and 33rd birthday. This year I turned 34 and still no training, no registering, no initiative. So I began running. A mile or two. Stopping and starting. Sporadically at first. Some weeks I'd run three days out of the week, then go a couple of weeks without logging any runs. Slowly though, my interest and initiative built up. I found myself going on three mile runs without stopping to walk or catch my breath. By the time summer rolled around I had seen the Rock N' Roll Marathon advertised-- coming to a city near me. I bit the bullet and signed up. I was going to do it!
All of sudden I immersed myself in the world of running. Podcasts about marathons and training. Buying the perfect running shoes (BROOKS!) and looking for the best running shorts that didn't break the bank (Old Navy running shorts on clearance-- $7.50!). Researching marathon training schedules and time tables. Making sure I was getting my runs in every week. Singing up to be a member of different christian running clubs. I was rocking and rolling along.
And then, I hit a plateau. I got weary in running. The excitement was gone. I let days go by with out putting on my running shoes. I used everything as an excuse.
Until a few weeks back, as I stepped into the shower I felt God say: "You were running superbly! Who cut in on you?" Over and over... "What happened? You started off so good." "You were running superbly! Who cut in on you?" It would not leave me.
It wasn't just in my running that I had let someone cut in on me. I took an inventory and my prayer life had decreased, my Bible Intake had wained, my journaling time had all bout diminished. Just a year ago I was mister gun-ho. I was fasting at the drop of a hat. Waking up early in the mornings to pray and seek God. And now? And so the words: You were running superbly! They were spoken softly to my sprit. A sweet admonishment from my caring, concerned Father up above.
I imagine that when God went "looking" for Adam and Eve after they disobeyed in the Garden, it was concerned, sad, caring tone that He used when He called out: "Where are you?"
My God, my God. That longing in Your voice to fellowship, to dine, to talk, to laugh together, to cry it out, to joke around, to ask silly questions-- You long for that with us, with me... and when we are not there... you ask: "Where are you?" When we let it dwindle and fade you ask: "What happened? You started out so superbly! Who did you let cut in?"
I let life excuses CUT in on my race both figuratively and spiritually. I let tiredness and mundane-ness CUt in. I let things that are both good and bad CUT in.
So I can say that I am back on track with my marathon training. I pushed through. Recently I did my last long run: 20.45 miles! It was painful, it was rough, it took longer than I thought it would... But I pushed through. And sometime around the ten mile mark-- I remembered: "Who were running superbly! Who ARE YOU GOING TO LET CUT IN ON YOU?"
Father, gracious, gracious God. Thank you for loving me so much that you call out to me: Where Are You? You care for me in so many ways, and I am dumbfounded by the thought of how much you love me and want me. I love you, Father. Help me not to let anyone or anything CUT IN. Give me strength, boldness, courage to continue running this race SUPERBLY.
Created 7 months ago
