"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 1 Timothy 6:12
When my dear running buddy, Jim, and I signed up for the All-In distance of the Bridge and Dam Race, which consisted of running their half marathon, 10k and 5k races back-to-back, we knew it would be a fight. Not only was the distance long, but the course was lined with the steep, rolling and mountainous hills the Missouri Ozarks are famous for. So to come in under the three and-a-half hour time limit, we vowed to run our best no matter what obstacles or difficulties we encountered. Jim's commitment to that vow was severely tested though when, two miles from the finish line, he rounded a sloped corner at race-pace speed, hit a patch of gravel and fell hard on his left side. Within seconds though, with blood running down his shoulder and arm, he looked at his Garmin, got back up and said, "Come on! We have to keep moving." And because of that unwillingness to give up, he and I crossed the finish line with a few seconds to spare.
You know, Paul, when writing to Timothy, talked about another type of fight.. "the good fight of the faith." And he told the young man that, in order to finish the race, Timothy would have to "fight." In other words, when Timothy encountered the many obstacles or difficulties that would surely come his way to tempt him to abandon his vow to serve the Lord, he would have to, as Google Dictionary defines fight, take part in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows or the use of weapons (in this case, spiritual blows and weapons). Paul was warning Timothy that this "fight" would not be easy nor would it be quick - but it would be worth it when he took hold of the prize of "eternal life."
And since every Christian who vows to serve the Lord will also be faced with difficulties, trials and obstacles, we would all do well to heed the words of Paul - and be prepared and ready to put forth the determined, all out effort it will take to claim victory over the enemy... no matter how hard it gets.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminder that the battle the enemy is waging against us is not a new one. Satan has been brawling with believers, in an attempt to get them to them abandon their faith, since the beginning of time. Help us to be strong in the battle, recognize our enemies' tactics and press on in spite of any trouble or struggles that come our way. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
Hard love - Need to breathe
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| Before the race and ready to go |
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| After the race and grateful for God's blessing of finishing well (with a few bandages after visiting the med tent) |
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