Turn from sin and turn to God

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,” Acts 3:19 NIV

In an article published by Runnerstribe yesterday titled, "How Can Swimming Help You Train for  Running?" one of the ways given in response to the question was that swimming aids in recovery. Running is hard on the body. The very nature of the sport calls for runners to repeatedly concentrate their entire body weight first on one leg, then the other, for minutes, hours and miles on end. As though that weren’t harmful enough, there are added effects of each footfall’s landing impact, which increases the risk of foot, shin and knee injury. It doesn’t matter whether you land on your heel, toes or a combination thereof, either. The wise runner will not only alternate between jogging and running, they will also spend some time in the water, doing low-intensity, low-impact work that will give their muscles and bones a break while still getting some cardio work in... Swimmers breathe less often than runners as they practise their sport because their bodies use oxygen more efficiently. This benefit carries over to your running and it’s fairly quick to realise; you may start seeing better oxygen efficiency after as few as 12 swimming sessions. So, as you can see, the "wise runner" will incorporate swimming into their training regimen to aid with their recovery. 

And you know, when it comes to spiritual recovery or becoming or being made ‘well’ again after falling into sin (something that can happen to anybody and always leads to some type of injury), the Bible is clear that when the wise person repents, their sins are wiped out and forgiven. They are then not only restored and made right with the Father but reap the rewards of the “times of refreshing” the Lord lavishes on all those who pursue righteousness. But you can be sure that true repentance means a person must not only feel remorse or regret for their transgression but must feel it so deeply that it causes them to turn away from it "and turn to God." 

So if you’re weary, parched and run down from the effects of sin in your life, make the wise choice to turn away from the wicked and ungodly thoughts and behaviors that are hurting you today and turn back to God my friend. The restored relationship you will then have with the Father will refresh your mind, body, and spirit. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for promising to restore us to wellness when we turn from our unrighteous ways and turn to You. Cause us to recognize where we have strayed Lord that we might immediately get back on course and finish the race strong. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!