This morning I am dedicating this blog to my children. They are amazing people.
A few months ago our son-in-law ran his first marathon. It had been cancelled but he traveled to the race site with our daughter and grandson and ran the course anyway. He had trained for it and he ran his race.
This encouraged our youngest daughter who, today, will run her first half marathon. She has been training for months and her race was also cancelled but today she will be running through the streets of her neighborhood to accomplish her goal.
Our children have overcome physical injury and disease and they continue to press on to achieve the goals and dreams in their heart. Their roads haven’t been easy but that’s what makes the accomplishment so rewarding.
“You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one runner gets the prize. So run like that. Run to win! 25 All who compete in the games use strict training. They do this so that they can win a prize—one that doesn’t last. But our prize is one that will last forever.” I Corinthians 9:24-25 ERV
Each of us has been given a race to run, that race is life! Our courses differ. God has given each of us a purpose. Our race is to bring Him honor and glory and He will run every step of it with us, if we ask Him too.
Remember yesterday’s verse – “I will not, I will not, I will not leave you alone or abandon you”. That’s the Father’s promise to us. We are not in this race of life alone. He is with us to protect and strengthen us. We also have a cheering section to encourage us along the journey.
“All these many people who have had faith in God are around us like a cloud. Let us put every thing out of our lives that keeps us from doing what we should. Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us.” Hebrews 12:1 NLV
When we commit our lives to the Lord, when we receive God’s gift of eternal life, we are given a plan personalized for our strengths and talents. Jesus know the hardships we will face in life and He is here to help us all along the way.
“So Jesus had to become like His brothers in every way. He had to be one of us to be our Religious Leader to go between God and us. He had loving-pity on us and He was faithful. He gave Himself as a gift to die on a cross for our sins so that God would not hold these sins against us any longer. 18 Because Jesus was tempted as we are and suffered as we do, He understands us and He is able to help us when we are tempted.” Hebrews 2:17-18 NLV
Whatever we face in our race of life we aren’t alone. Run with confidence. Jesus is running with us. We will finish the race and receive the prize of life eternal with our Father.