The benefits of stretching

"The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there." Genesis 12:1-4

Every athlete knows that stretching is vital to performance. Not only does it prevent injury, it has been shown to increase circulation, flexibility and range of motion. While in theory this is a great idea, in practice it can be quite unpleasant. Stretching out a tight muscle is usually painful and requires time, patience and persistence. It doesn't happen overnight but it reaps great rewards when it's time to put those muscles to work.

It's the same with our walk with God. To become the person we need to be to claim victory through Christ, we may need to be stretched. In Genesis 12:1-4, God promised to make Abram (he would soon become Abraham) great, but God had one condition. He had to do what God wanted him to do. That meant leaving the comfort and security of his home and his friends to travel to a new land. A place where God had promised him that he would have greater blessings. Talk about stretching a person! I'm sure it had to be painful to leave everything he knew behind. But, Abram trusted God to fulfill His promise to make him into a great nation, bless him and make his name great.

God may be trying to stretch you too, leading you to a place of greater service to Him. Don't let the comfort of your present position make you miss the opportunity God has to make your life better. Make the decision today to allow God to stretch your faith so that you will follow Him wherever that path may lead.

Heavenly Father, thank you for stretching me and making me into the person I need to be to claim victory through you. May I be as trusting and faithful as Abram as you lead me through life. In your precious name we pray Jesus, Amen.

Happy Running!!!