Return to God Today

"That is why the LORD says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning." Joel 2:12 NLT

In an article titled, "Runner who lost 100 pounds to tackle USCG full marathon" published last week, Rachel Silber, 53, shared her story, detailing how she was a marathon runner over a decade ago before a series of personal and health care challenges seemingly put an end to her running days. Consequently, Rachel said she gained more than 100 pounds. Silber said she eventually reached a day of reckoning with herself. “I decided I can’t live like this,” Silber said. “I was overweight and out of shape.” That’s when Silber started running again. It was no easy chore, but the end result was a weight loss of 110 pounds that also saw Silber once again become a competitive runner. “I actually began with walking and worked my way up to doing some runs,” Silber said. That led Silber to run in last year’s Coast Guard half marathon and 5K, finishing the half marathon in just under three hours. She completed the 5K in around 39 minutes. Silber prepped for this year’s Coast Guard races by running marathons in Des Moines, Iowa, and Richmond, Virginia, three weeks apart earlier this year. She finished both marathons in around six hours. “It was 12 years between marathons,” Silber said.

And you know, just as it's never too late to return to running if you've taken time off (even 12 years or more), it's never too late to return to the Lord if you've strayed. However, turning back is a decision that shouldn't be put off for even one second. You see, since you and I don't know when our lives will end (no one does) or when Jesus will return (no one knows that either) we should heed the appeal of the Lord, "Turn to me now, while there is time.”  In other words, if you have a strayed, you should immediately give God your heart and vow to trust and obey Him from this moment forward. 

So no matter what took you off course or how long you've been out of the race, don't let anything hold you back from turning to Him today my friend. No one knows that tomorrow holds but we do know that only those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity with Him; which means following Jesus is the most important decision you will ever make. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending your Son to die for our sins and for making it clear that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. Lord, I pray that the person who has strayed or the one who has never chosen to put their trust in You would do so today so that they would have eternal life no matter what tomorrow holds. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!