Life is a Marathon

This past Sunday, over 5,000 people participated in the annual Pittsburgh, PA marathon. For those of you not familiar with a marathon, it is a 26.2 mile run/walk. Getting prepared for this type of event would in itself be extraordinary, let alone running in it. But that was not the only challenge involved in this years event.

It rained the entire race. As if you would need soaked clothing to help speed you up! Then there was also this other small detail. A bomb was found at the finish line. As, it turns out, it was not an explosive device, but the race was stopped for over ten minutes while the bomb squad used a robot to disable the device. Two ladies kept a great attitude about the whole day:

Katie and sister Jamie finished in about 5 1/2 hours and didn't notice any disruptions. The sisters said the only complication was a steady rain that had slowed to a drizzle by mid-day. "Our shoes," Jaime said. "It was 5 pounds on each foot." (That is focus!)

Sometimes a great way to focus on our own race, is to see the example of another. And the greatest example is the life of Jesus Christ. Running a race that He knew that there was a bomb at the finish line. And He would beat everyone to it, take the explosion from it, and protect everyone else!

Jesus knew the entire time He was running His race, that He would die at the finish line. And He also knew that when He reached the end of His race, that it would clear the way for all of us to continue ours. Because of His incredible desire to carry out God's will, we all have an equal opportunity to cross the finish line in Our Father's Kingdom.

So, as we know, this race called life will have it's share of rain and bomb scares. Can we stay focused on reaching the finish line, even with 5 pounds on each foot? Jesus took care of the tragic end we could have faced. And there is a big prize for running the race well! But, we have to run in His footsteps. What I day it will be, to say thank you to Jesus, face to face!

And now the prize awaits me -- the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of His return. And the prize is not just for
me but for all who eagerly look forward to His appearing.   2 Timothy 4:8

~ Tom Rogers ~
Copyright © 2010
All Rights Resrved

[ by: Tom Rogers, Copyright © 2010 ( tomrogers@rocketmail.com ) -- submitted by: Tom Rogers ]