In a story titled “Josh Kerr Broke the World Record in the Mile. His Custom Shoes Were Designed to Be a ‘Weapon’” it was reported that the Brooks spike was designed to make Kerr feel like he’s running downhill.
When Josh Kerr announced his intention to break the iconic 27-year-old world record in the mile earlier this year, he wasn’t going it alone.
The 28-year-old Scottish middle distance runner approached the challenge with the full support of his sponsor, Brooks Running, and its product innovation team in an effort to shave more than two seconds from his personal best to break the 3:43.13 standard set by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco in 1999. They went one better, as Kerr improved his best mark from 3:45.34 to an astounding 3:42.66 to capture the record and win the London Diamond League meeting by more than three seconds over rival Yared Nuguse of the United States.
In an interview with Popular Science, Brooks senior director of product development Danny Orr described how the custom spike, the Hyperion 222, was engineered for a fast, sustained race at world-record pace with no gear changes or kick at the end—the opposite of how 1500-meter races typically play out in major races” The notion of running slowly, or the notion of changing gears or speeding up, they’re going to feel awful in this shoe,” he says. “It’s just not designed to do that. It really is a weapon for him to run four laps at a really high speed and a really high cadence.”
And, you know, while the "custom spike" might be a weapon in the world of running, praising God is a powerful weapon in the world of spiritual warfare.
You see, when (not if) trials and troubles come our way, it's easy for us to fall into despair. The problem with that is the devil gets a foothold over our hearts and our minds and we can begin to lament over our situation rather than looking to God who is sovereign over our situation.
Consider the story of Paul and Silas that's found in Acts 16. After casting a demon out of a fortune-telling slave girl in Philippi, Paul and Silas were stripped, severely beaten, and imprisoned. At midnight, while praying and singing hymns, a violent earthquake shook the prison, opening all doors and freeing the chains
Did you get that? Despite being locked in the inner prison with their feet in stocks, Paul and Silas chose to pray and sing praises to God, thereby turning worship into the weapon that defeated the enemy's attempt to make them think their situation was hopeless.
Their praise not only kept up their own spirits but caused the prisoners listening to them to remain in their cells after the earthquake shook the foundations and broke their chains! Can you believe that? That's the power of praise!
And get this... when the terrified jailer drew his sword to commit suicide, believing his prisoners had escaped (a failure punishable by death) , Paul stopped him, calling out that everyone was still there. Moved by their compassion and the miraculous event, the jailer fell trembling before them and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” The jailer then took them to his home, washed their wounds, and provided them food.
Amazing right? But it gets even better… That same night, he and his entire family was baptized in celebration of their newfound faith. That's the power of praise my friend!
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
So, no matter what situation you might be facing today, choose to pray and sing praises as you remember that God is not only sovereign over all of it, but works "all things together" for your good and for His glory. That's what He does for all those love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that You are sovereign over all situations. Help us to praise You in the good times and even more in our trials and troubles that those watching might seek You by the faith that we exhibit--the faith that says, "My situation might appear hopeless, but God has a plan and I will praise Him for it." Thank You for working all things for our good and for Your glory Lord. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!
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