There is Joy in His presence

“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Psalm 16:11 NLT

In an article titled, “This Father-Daughter Duo Just Ran a Marathon in Every State” published yesterday, the following was reported: A father-daughter duo from Massachusetts surpassed a notable milestone when they completed the Maui Oceanfront Marathon this past January. That alone would be a triumphant feat for most, but Beth and Scott Lennox are not like most runners—each has now completed a marathon in every state, and crossing the finish line together in Hawaii marked their respective final state. Even more surprising is that Scott, 76, didn’t start running marathons until he was 50, with Beth joining him shortly after… Scott and Beth cherish their time running together and eagerly anticipate further memories, knowing they will be there for one another. "Sometimes he's carrying me, and sometimes I'm carrying him,” she said. “But we both get there." "We've just had fun,” Scott added. “There's always some aspect of every marathon that we've done where we've had a really good time."

And you know, when it comes to being part of a fun running duo, you and I could never choose a running partner better than the Lord. Why? Because there is joy in His presence! That means when the race gets hard (notice I said when and not if), we will have the One beside us that can fill us with great delight and happiness in the midst of the pain, difficulty, and trials that are sure to come as we make our way to the finish line. And the best part is, by choosing to follow Jesus now, He will show us the way of life (which means we will never stray off course) and lead us to the finish line where we will be rewarded with “the pleasures” of living with Him forever. 

So while the world may think the Christian life isn’t fun, anyone who walks with Jesus knows that it’s the most fun a person could ever have. So choose Jesus as your running partner my friend, you’ll have a really good time and make lots of memories along the way. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us of the benefits of walking with You. We will not only have the joy that comes from being in your presence but will be rewarded with the pleasures of living with You forever. Cause our minds to truly understand this so that we would choose You as our running partner each and every day. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!