Marathon Not A Sprint
Marathon Not A Sprint
We are on a journey, our life's journey. It is a marathon, not a sprint. This journey is filled with hills and valleys, mountain tops, and rough terrain; sometimes, it takes our breath away, sometimes for good, and sometimes in pain. We face moments of exhilaration and thrills then there are times of despair. I think Jesus understands all of those moments; he had them too.
Paul encourages us to keep our eyes on the prize at the journey's end. Jesus did, even at his most profound moment of despair in the Garden of Gethsemane. Let's hear His plea with His Father and His closest disciples:
"Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go over there and pray." And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here and watch with me." And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter,
"So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done." And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."
Matthew 26:36-46 ESV
Jesus came to fulfill the law and the Prophets. He became the bridge back to the Father and the Father to us. Jesus came to preach the good news and set the captive free. He came to bring the kingdom of heaven here to the earth.
"The Lord's Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor.
The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers, and to say, 'This is the year the Lord has chosen.'"…..Then Jesus said to them, "What you have just heard me read has come true today." Luke 4:18-21 CEV
He knew the need and the goal. He would not take His eyes off His Father, who would give him what He needed to accomplish all that the Father set forth long before we were born.
Jesus was a man. A man without sin. The only man without sin ever born. But He had the same temptations, the same struggles as we. He showed us the way.
The Holy Spirit gave Jesus the strength, grace, and courage to follow the purposes of His coming here to earth. That same Holy Spirit is here for us. To dwell in us and provide the same strength, grace, and courage so that we can follow Jesus and fulfill God's purposes for our lives.
It was not a walk in the park for Jesus, and it won't be for us either. But, with focus and a dogged determination to fulfill our purpose here on earth, we will achieve the goal. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can and will be a reflection of our heavenly Father to a broken and hurting world. Even the role of pain or challenges can guide us to a purpose-driven life.
Paul makes the goal clear:
"Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don't feel sorry for yourselves."
Hebrews 12:1-4 MSG
And "So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!" - Hebrews 12:12-13 MSG
It is not easy some days; that is a fact. But let's not be dismayed or overwhelmed by this world. Let us be a light in this world regardless of our circumstances. We are not Jesus; we fall and make mistakes. We get overwhelmed some days.
There is evil in this world, but this world is not our goal. This world is not our home. We are only visitors here. Jesus came to set the captive free to be the bridge between God the Father and the people He so dearly loves. We are His, and He is ours. We are joint heirs with Christ.
Regardless of the challenges we face, we don't get dragged into things that derail us or divide us from our heavenly Father when we stay focused on the goal.
So we need to ask the Holy Spirit to not only dwell in our hearts but also be active in our daily lives. We are having the Holy Spirit shining through us, setting captives free, and bringing good news to the brokenhearted.
More of you, God, in my life; less of me. That Your will Father will be accomplished here on earth as it is in heaven. That is the journey we are on. We're just passing through on our Father's business.
Today can you read Isaiah 61, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…". Can you ask the Holy Spirit to fill you so that He can make a difference in the lives of the people you meet today?