Tuesday's Thoughts

I've had the privilege of having friends here for the last few days, so my Monday Musings turned into Tuesday's Thoughts this week!  


The Chicago Marathon was this past Sunday.  Our friend Rocket Thompson came to Chicago to run the marathon along with 45,000 other people! That got me thinking about the very familiar image of life as a race that we want to finish well.


Training:  I have watched Alan train for a marathon.  It is tough!  It takes a lot of commitment, time and thought.  Everything revolves around that marathon when it is coming up.  Rest, nutrition, running and planning all play a part.  You can't just go out and run a marathon - but from what I saw, a few folks tried!  It was an unusually hot day here last Sunday and if you had not prepared and prepared well, you were really hurting early on in the race.  We watched the runners at mile 7.5.  Some of them were really struggling with 19.7 miles to go!  They had registered, they had their number and they got out there to run - but they were not prepared to actually run the race.  You can look the part and not finish the race!



Mental Toughness:  Runners deal with all kinds of obstacles on a regular basis - whether it is blisters, sore muscles or uncooperative weather.  In a race, they have to choose what to focus on.  If they start to focus on their blisters, the pain becomes unbearable.  The more they think about it, the worse it gets.  They may even choose to stop running the race if the pain overtakes them.  There are also runners that have blisters but they don't allow their mind to go there.  Excessive heat becomes a challenge to overcome.  They persevere and focus on finishing the race.  The goal ahead is enough to get them through the adversity.


Pacing:  The ability to pace yourself is huge in a marathon.  You have to know at what pace to run each mile in order to finish.  If you start out too fast (easy to do with the adrenaline rush!) you will wear out and really slow down as the race goes on.  You have to know your own body, stick to your plan and run your race.  You can't run the other guy's race - you must run yours.  They even provide pacers to help the runner's stay on their optimal pace so they can run their best race.


Support:  Just imagine how many spectators there were with 45,000 runners!  A LOT!  I would say that most runners had multiple people there to cheer them on.  When the going got tough, they could hit a mile marker and see the face of someone they loved.  You could see runner's perk up and pick up their pace when they heard a familiar voice cheering them on.  


The finish line:  We stayed at mile marker 23 for a good while.  At that point, the racers are told that they only have a 5K race left - just 3.2 miles.  For most, I think that was very encouraging.  There were a lot more miles behind them than there were before them.  The finish line was looming and the race was drawing to a close.  That extra push that was needed suddenly seemed possible.  The winner was a man from Kenya who ran the marathon in 2 hours and 5 minutes.  I imagine that last runner finished around 6 hours - maybe more.  And yet - they both finished.  What an accomplishment!


Training:  What is the race that the Lord has set before you?  How will you train to be ready for and to stay fit for that race?  What kind of commitment and discipline is required?  Do you merely look the part or are you the real deal?

Mental Toughness:  What obstacles are you currently facing?  How do you respond to adversity?  Do you focus on the difficulty or embrace the challenge? Do you see your God through the eyes of your circumstances or do you see your circumstances through the eyes of your God?  Do you keep your eye on the prize?


Pacing:  What steps are you taking to run your race?  Did you start out strong and then fade away - or are you committed to keep up the pace for the long haul?  Who is your pacer?


Support:  Who has the Lord placed around you to help you run your race?  Are you allowing the body of Christ to be your support?  Who are you cheering on?  


The Finish Line:  Hey - we are all heading toward the finish line.  I don't know about you - but I want to finish strong and finish well.  Unless I live to be 100 - I'm already past the half way mark.  In order to finish well, I have to keep my eye on the prize - stay spiritually fit by abiding in the Lord - staying immersed in His Word and praying without ceasing.  With all that in place, I need to be obedient to the race that God has called me to run.  It is tempting to take my eyes off of that and look at another guy's race.  Maybe I like theirs better - perhaps it looks easier or more exciting.  The truth is, if I am looking at someone else's race, I will probably trip over my own feet!  I must keep my focus on what the Lord has asked me to do.  Each race is important - each race is unique. 


Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.  Hebrews 12:1

Here's my goal:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  
2nd Timothy 4:7


Oh, how I long to be able to say that with my last breath.