"Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light." Micah 7:8
Most people, upon discovering that I am a marathon runner, will ask me whether I have ever run the Boston Marathon. And upon being blessed to answer that question with a yes, I await the one that almost always follows, "Were you there when the bombings occurred?” And while I could simply answer no, I always add, "but I was there the year after." And why is that so important you might wonder? Because 2014 was the year I, and thousands of other runners, made the choice to come back. You see, I had run this iconic 26.2 mile race before to simply mark it off my bucket list. But the year after the bombs went off taking three lives, inflicting gruesome injuries and prompting many elite racers to vow they would never return, I ran it to join others in saying to those responsible for the tragedy, "We are Boston Strong and we will rise."
And you know, when it comes to rising up after a fall, the prophet Micah wrote, "Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light." He was making it clear to his adversaries not to rejoice in his suffering because it wouldn't last - although he had experienced discouragement and fallen, God would raise him up again. And though he appeared to be groping in the darkness right now, the Lord would soon be a light to him and illuminate his path.
Meb Keflighizi, winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon, once said, "Like the marathon, life can sometimes be difficult, challenging and present obstacles." And while he was right that life's obstacles and hurdles can certainly challenge us and even knock us down, we don't have to stay down. We, like Micah, can look to the Lord with confidence and declare that by His strength, "I will rise."
Heavenly Father, thank You for the promise that You will be our light in the darkness. And whether we have fallen due to our own sin or an unforeseen tragedy, help us get back up. And when we do, may we remember and proclaim your greatness and faithfulness to the world, knowing that it's only by your strength that we can rise again.
Happy Running!!!
I will rise - Jason Gray
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