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| Run with Endurance... photo by Kristi Rhines Stevens |
Running the Race
http://youtu.be/Yz05WW8abX0 - Derek Redmond
1992 DEREK REDMOND THE OLYMPIC SPIRIT. He is best remembered for his performance at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona where he tore his hamstring in the 400 metres semi-final but fought through the pain and, with assistance from his father, managed to complete a full lap of the track as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. The incident has become a well-remembered moment in Olympic history, having been the subject of one of the International Olympic Committee's 'Celebrate Humanity' videos and been used in advertisements by Visa as an illustration of the Olympic spirit and featured in Nike's "Courage" commercials in 2008. When Derek couldn't go on, his father rushed to his side, supporting him - helping Derek to keep going... his father gave him the strength to run with endurance the race set before him.
Our Father does the same thing for us.
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Run with endurance...
Tyler runs Cross Country. He loves running. Sometimes, there are unexpected obstacles that can slow him down. If the obstacle comes at a time in the race when he's exhausted and his muscles are burning, it would be so easy to just stop running and say, "I can't go on." But a runner pushes through those obstacles so that he or she can cross the finish line. That's what Paul tells us to do when we hit obstacle in the race of live. Keep running, even when you feel like you can't go on another step. Run with endurance. Christ will give you the strength and courage you need to finish strong.
Philippians 1: 20-23
"And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
Honestly, this life is full of disappointments. Marriages break up, friends let us down, financial struggles humble us and take away all our security, children get sick, friends die, and on and on. What can we depend on?
One day, life is great and the next, everything is taken away and we feel like Job - stripped of all those things we thought were so important.
If we could just grasp that Christ is the only thing we truly need, and that HE's the one thing that can never be taken from us, can you imagine the peace we'd have? What could man do to us, if we really understood that HE is all we need?
Almighty God calls me His child. He loved me so much that He sent His Son to die for me. I'm going to spend Eternity in heaven - no more tears, no more fears, no betrayals, no more disappointments, no more pain or suffering. For all eternity! Do we even come close to understanding how short our time is on earth compared to Eternity? I think if we did, our earthly lives would take on a whole different perspective. So much that we fret about just wouldn't matter any more. We'd be full of joy, longing for that Day when we get to wake up in Heaven.
Paul knew this life was full of meaningless junk. "Garbage", he called it. Don't we all have "garbage" that weighs us down and steals our joy? Dumb little things that make us feel unloved, inadequate, discouraged? sometimes they're bigger bumps, but so many times, they are just little insignificant bumps in the road, yet we let those bumps drag us down. All that truly matters is belonging to Christ. If we could just understand that, we'd be shouting the good news to everyone we meet so that they, too, have Eternity in heaven. We'd love everyone, unconditionally, because of the prize set before us! Nothing could get us down. Nothing could still our joy!
If anyone could ever been "good enough" by his own power to have righteousness, Paul says it was him. He had it all. He had honor, respect, knowledge, power, influence - all the things we humans think are so important. But Paul found something worth more than all those things. He found Jesus.
Paul left it all so that he might be one with Christ. Listen to his words: "everything else is worthless", "all garbage" when compared to the INFINITE VALUE of knowing CHRIST! Paul walked away from fame, fortune, prestige, everything!!! That should tell us something about the treasure we have in Christ.
Those days when you just feel like nothing is ever going to be okay again; when you feel like you've lost everything that gives your life meaning, remember Paul's words. It's all garbage compared to the value - the unmatchable, immeasurably great, having no boundaries Value - of knowing Christ as LORD.
If all you have left is Christ, you are rich beyond measure.
HE is the One you can always depend on no matter what comes. Depend on Him. He'll never leave you nor forsake you. He loves you more than we comprehend.
Psalm 139:7-10
I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave,[you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
Philippians 3:3-11
For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!
I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with Himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
Honor Christ with your life. When we die, and we all will some day, the only thing we can take with us into Eternity is our inheritance that Christ has given us. His love, His Salvation, His Redemption and on yes, He gave us HIS Father. We are children of the Creator of the Universe.
What more could we ever want?
http://youtu.be/0vdLi8h-xdI - Dependence - Jamie Slocum
lyrics ~
This is the life I’ve always wanted
To know the prince of peace
To feel my faith restored
As your grace surrounds me
This is the day of new beginnings
This is where my freedom starts
And now death has lost its sting
And Jesus how can I thank you?
Just to know, just to know that you love me
Gives me hope to carry on
What can this world do to me? No, no
Just to know, just to know that you’re with me
On all these roads I traveled on
When all I have is gone
I confess my dependence on you
There is a lightness in my laughter
There is a joy inside my soul
My heart is overwhelmed
And Jesus how can I thank you?
Just to know, just to know that you love me
Gives me hope to carry on
What can this world do to me? No, no
Just to know, just to know that you’re with me
On all these roads I traveled on
When all I have is gone
I confess my dependence on you
Dependence on you
Just to know, just to know that you love me
It gives me hope to carry on
You’re the one thing that I can turn to
Just to know, just to know that you’re with me
On all these roads I traveled on
You’re the one thing that I can turn to
Thank You Jesus! You're all I need. Your love gives me hope to carry on. You are the One I can always turn to. No matter what this world throws at me, Lord, I know You're all I need. Help me to turn every negative, discouraging, defeating thought over to You so that You can squelch it! What ever You allow, Father, in my life, help me to keep my eyes on Jesus so that my response to the circumstance will bring You glory. Today, Lord, help me to live in the victory that You have given me. There's nothing in this world that compares to the love I have in You. I love You, Jesus.
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