on the forerunner

Today I went for my long run (up to five miles now).

Met my running buddy at mile 1.5. Fortunate for me, that 1.5 had been a good warmup -- I ws able to tuck in a step behind Dennis and planned to just hold on for about two miles. After that Dennis usually turned for home and I would pull back the pace a little.

Dennis didn't push me through that portion - more like he pulled me. We talked a little about just about everything - from Hebrews to Socrates to giving enough time to our families to our struggles in high school.

The time passed easier listening to Dennis, but I was glad when we approached the corner where he turned for home. In fact, I was huffing pretty good when we got there. I patted him on the back (gave him a push toward home?), and said, "See you later."

He said, "No, I'll stay with you."

"Great," I said on the outside. Groan, I said on the inside.

So we stayed at that pace and I turned in five miles I am now proud of. I just had to focus on the back of Dennis' near shoulder and keep going.

Dennis said that his old running buddy had pulled him along many times. That he never talked much because he was always too out of breath. And that he knew every hair on the back of that running buddy's neck from all the miles he'd followed him through.

He had to focus on the forerunner. By doing that, he got fast enough to qualify for Boston. He'd tuck in and hold on behind a more perfect runner.

The same thing worked for me this morning. I focused on the guy ahead of me and went farther and faster than I could have gone myself. Without him, I'd likely not have even rolled out of bed.

running the race vs. training for it

If Paul wrote a book on running, his words on racing in Hebrews would have been one of the later chapters. Before that would have come all the chapters on training and preparing.

more on the cloud of witnesses

On most morning runs, I return toward home on the same street. One reason for that is I find that two people walk that same street at the same hour most days.

I know them both to have run back in the day. In fact, the man was a dedicated runner - he ran more than a few marathons and valued his running over his a few of his toe nails (his Birkenstocks revealed that the second toe nail always looked ready to fall off and in a perpetual state of black and blue).

He had quite a bit to do with the running thread that runs through the sermons these days at our church (he pastors that church http://orlandocommunitychurch.org/). On Tuesday, as I ran past him and his wife, we slapped hands and he said "good for you young man."

I cringed at that a little - I hardly pass for young anymore, but more important I sensed that he pined to turn in a few miles at a trot himself.

At the same time, his words and the slap of hands gave me a burst of adrenaline that got me a little high for the next quarter mile or so. I knew he 'd already run and that he knew how hard it was and that he recalled it with joy. That gave me a boost that furthered me down the road.

a runner runs - a Christian reads

It is cold this morning - and windy.

I lay in bed last night listening to the cold front blow in - it rattled the porch roof and made the blinds of our drafty house sway.

It is the sort of morning when one decides whether or not they are a runner. A runner runs. It sounds obvious, but it's true. It's not the clothes they wear, or the music they listen to, or the friends they have, or the car they drive... You know a runner because they run.

On Sunday, Josh pointed out that a Christian reads - the Bible that is. It's the center of the training program. Some take on the marathon-training of reading through the Bible in a year. Others are just trying to finish that 5K - reading the sermon scriptures daily.

Either way, you can tell a Christian by their time in God's Word - just like you can tell a runner by their time on the road.

CLOUD OF WITNESSES

So who is this cloud of witnesses that surrounds us?

In a 5K race, they're the ones that finish before us. They line the 50 or so yards that are roped off before the finish line. 99% of them don't even know you. But if you run hard at the finish, they cheer you in. They cheer you in because they've already run the race - they know how hard it was.

The cloud of witnesses Hebrews refers to are also those who finished before us. Family members, friends and saints we never knew in this lifetime, cheering us on in the race of life. They've already run it - they know how hard it was. Now they urge us to make the right the choices.

one more thought on running buddies

You can't understand grace until you understand you can't make it alone.

Josh Christiansen



I had a sense of that grace Friday. Beneath an orange twilight sky, I setout to run.



For 8 weeks. I'd gotten out to run. On this evening, finally my stride came easily and I felt light footed. Had to thank my running buddy for that - knowing he was out there had motivated me to run.

As I write this, my daughter Marielle just asked, "Come jog with me." Maddie wants to jog the Smile Mile with her. They don't want to run alone.

false starts

Plenty of false starts. On my own, I'd start to run for a week or two on my own, then get encumbered - tough to get out of bed, or busy at work, or obligated around the house. Good intentions weren't enough to ride me through that.


Right now, it's different. It takes will to roll out early and hit the pavement - and wife and kids have been supportive. But even with will and support, I'd have quit by now if not for a running buddy.


I've proven I can't do it alone.


The bible says that about running the race of life. We can't do it alone. We need Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, out front setting the pace. And Jesus knew we'd need someone alongside - a running buddy of sorts - to help us through the miles. So He promised to send one - the Holy Spirit.

Run the race - and share what we learn!

On Sunday, it occurred to me while I ran with my running buddy that I wouldn't be out there if it weren't for him. I'd be home snug in my bed. Snug, but not pushing myself. Snug, but not having the occasional laugh. Snug, but not getting stronger.

I realized my running buddy was a little like the Holy Spirit - he was the helper. He'd affected my conscience so that I had to get out of bed, lace up the sneaks and pound the pavement - because I knew he'd be waiting.

I also realized that running would reveal all kinds of similar insights about following God. And we're supposed to follow -- to "fix our eyes on Jesus" and "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Hebrews 12:1-3)

And that's the theme of this blog - to discuss what we learn about fixing our eyes on Him and running the race appointed - whether that race is figurative or literal.

I can't wait to see what God shows.