“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…the Author and Finisher of our faith.”
A week ago they ran the Boston marathon. It was special as people remembered the tragedy of last years race. However, in light of the verse above, I remember another one back on April 21, 1980. Rosie Ruiz came in first place for the women that year. It was the record for the fastest finish for a woman in the Boston marathon. In fact, it was the fastest finish for a woman in any marathon. It was even more amazing because she was barely out of breath and not covered in sweat like other runners. When questioned about her record breaking pace and outstanding condition she said, “I got up with a lot of energy this morning”. Within a few days it was revealed that after starting the race she boarded the subway and got off a half mile from the finish line. When this was discovered she was disqualified and stripped of the title because…in case you didn’t know…that is cheating.
It seems people are always looking for short cuts in any journey but the fact of the matter is…You cannot just run anywhere or any way that you choose when you are in a race. You must run the course that has been set out for you. This is true in any race you run. On the track runners are assigned a lane to run in. If they step out of the lane they can be disqualified.
The Scripture tells us that we are to run the race “marked out for us”. As Christians we are not just called to do just “anything” and we are not called to just do “something”. We are called to do the things that God has marked out for us from the beginning. Throughout the Bible we are told that God knew our days and had a plan before we were ever born. In Ephesians Paul says that we are His workmanship created to do “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”. So…we are not called to just run any race. We are called to run the one marked out for us.
And…guess what? There are no short cuts to accomplishing the things that God has for you. Whether you are trying to bypass a certain assignment (like Jonah) or trying to cut corners (like Rosie Ruiz) you will end up on the short end of the stick!
Now some may claim that we should be able to run wherever we want to and however we wish. But that is not running the race marked out before you. If you want to finish…you need to stay on course. How do we know what course God has marked out for us? Start with God’s Word. In it God lays out the main principles to guide us in our faith journey. It tells us that He is the source of our strength from the beginning to the end…Author and finisher!