Believe it or not I used to enjoy running. Yes! Used to! It all started in June of 2011 and ended 4 years later. Not by my choice! I had to stop because I hurt my back. The funny thing is I didn't hurt my back by running but by jumping rope! That was the last time I tried that. Somehow I ended up with a herniated disc and I was welcomed with open arms to the world of getting old! Not fun but a part of life. Now I go for long walks and go for a bike ride instead. But when I did run I did enjoy it! I kind of wished I tried it more when I was in High School. Maybe I could have joined the Cross Country team! Well, that was 40 years ago and you can't change the past!
To be brutally honest, I have always been intrigued with marathon runners. To train your body to run at a slow pace for 26.1 miles is amazing! The training has to be intense and very grueling. I know when I used to run with 2 other guys they were both in great shape and both were much younger than I am. They would say "Come on, Pastor Dave! Just one more mile!" I wanted to say, "Okay, I'll walk it and see you guys tomorrow." Not a chance with these two guys! One time we even ran the Cross Country Course at Sunken Meadow State Park. One part of the course is names "Cardiac Hill." You guessed it. A hill that is literally a carbon copy of climbing the side of a mountain. I think it would have been nice if they had a hill called "Slide right down" but they don't.
I eventually ran over 6 1/2 miles at one point and I do have to say it felt great! Anyone who gets up at 5:30 a.m. to run in 10 degree weather has to be totally insane or totally wanting to run and get in shape. I could always feel the adrenaline kicking in before and during my runs. I lost a lot of weight at one point and the days of me huffing and puffing coming up the basement stairs were over. I did have to monitor when I ran and try not to overdo it. I guess you can say I was "hooked." At one point I even signed up for a 5K but cancelled because the race took place after my dismissal at Smithtown Gospel and I was not in a good mental state at that point in my life.
Running reminds me of life. Some of us want to sprint through life and we want everything yesterday. Years ago If you needed to get money you could only get it during the hours your bank was open. Today you can do all your banking on your cell phone. You can pay bills, send money to friends and pay for items at a store with a tap of your phone. It's all instant. No waiting (unless you are having issues with your phone). I have discovered that in my Christian walk, God does not work that way. He is of course loving but He doesn't give us what we want, He does it all in His timing. I don't pray for something then WHAMO there it is. "Hey, God! I need a new job!" BAM There it is a job that pays you 6 figures! "Hey God! My car keeps breaking down. Give me a brand new one!" BAM The next thing you know there is a Mercedes Benz in your driveway! I have discovered in the Christian life, life is not a sprint, it is a marathon. God's timing is certainly not our timing. Truthfully, I would much rather allow Him to work in my life at the pace he is working in than in the pace I sometimes beg for. We are NOT going through life doing a sprint, we ARE in a marathon. A race that is called a sprint happens very quickly. The world record for a 100 yard dash is held by Usain Bolt in 2016 a whopping 9.23 seconds! The record for running a marathon which we know takes longer is held by Eliud Kipchoge in 2022 when he ran in a marathon which is 26.1 miles. He completed it in 2 hours, 1 minute and 9 seconds.
In conclusion, let's all remember to slow down and let God take control. Let's stop trying to rush God and try to convince him to speed things up.Remember, He is God and we are not! I certainly think and I know He knows what He is doing far better than we do! Amen?
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