Fellowship United Methodist Church

Running with God

Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  Hebrews 12:1b                   As a young adult, one of my favorite past times was to run.  I can still remember the freedom that I felt as I would run through the neighborhoods near my home.  I remember the feel of the breeze as I ran and the refreshing taste of the water at the end of the run. Of course I was tired at the end of the run, but it was a good tired.  However, starting to run was not a pleasurable experience…I did not have the endurance so I could not run very far.  In addition to a lack of endurance and oxygen, I can also remember the pain of shin splints, pulled muscles, and side stitches…these were not enjoyable, but I continued on, determined that I would run. I knew that if I was going to run I had to practice.  At first, I did more walking than running, but this changed as I grew stronger; so I continued to run.  I remember how excited I was when I completed my first mile without walking.                  As I think back over this experience, I am reminded how my decision to run and then beginning to run is similar to my spiritual growth.  I knew that my relationship with God was not all that I desired it to be.  I could feel in my soul my thirst for God…so I decided to do something about it.  That was my first step.  Just as I had to develop a training plan with my running, I had to develop a plan to grow closer to God. My next step was to carve out a time to be with God, just as I had to carve out a time to run and then be consistent.  At first there was the temptation to skip my time with God, just as with running there was the temptation to skip a run.  However, the more time I spent with God the more I desired to be with God.  Soon the temptation to skip this “spiritual run” vanished.  It became a time that I looked forward to each day; and if something did interfere with this time, my day was just not the same.                 If you have gotten away from “running” with God each day, or maybe you have just not become consistent in your “run” with God, Lent is a time to begin or renew your commitment.  Just as with beginning to run, beginning to spend time with God will have its challenges, but the effort is worth it.  So what is your plan?  Have you carved out a time and are you consistent?    Reading these devotionals is a place to start, but my prayer is that this is just the beginning and that you will take longer and longer “runs” with God each day. Prayer:  Precious Lord, my time with you is special. Grow within me the desire to “run” with you.  Help me carve out a time each day and help me to be consistent.  Lord I love you and you know my heart’s desire.  Amen