Disqualified

"Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank." Numbers 20:11

China's Liang Jing crossed the finish line of the Vibram HK100 on Saturday in nine hours and 28 minutes. And while this appeared to be an incredible win and course record by three minutes, Jing's celebration was cut short when he was officially disqualified. You see, somewhere along the way, Liang grabbed a hiker's water bottle without permission and then threw another bottle away. And while you might say, "It was only water. What's the big deal?" The big deal is this... the rules clearly state that no "outside support" is allowed outside of the specified checkpoints and littering is never allowed. And although Jing apologized, race director, Janet Ng said: “We were very clear this year about the rules on support outside check points. It would not make sense to take anything but a strong position on this.”

It would be quite disheartening to work so hard only to be stripped of a victory for a grievance so small, wouldn't it? But that's exactly what happened to Moses too. As he was leading the Israelites through the desert to the promised land, he beseeched the Lord to provide them with the water they so desperately needed. And after the Lord clearly told Moses to speak to the rock and it would pour out water, "Moses raised his arm and struck the rock the rock twice with his staff" instead. And while the Lord did provide the water, Moses had disobeyed God's direct command and dishonored Him in the presence of the people. And for this, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. In other words, Moses was disqualified.

And while Moses' punishment may have seemed harsh in light of how small the offense appeared, consider that Moses was to be the leader and model for the entire nation. He was to set an example of what it meant to follow the Lord - completely and wholeheartedly - just as we are. And this small sin, if left unpunished, could have led to much larger ones that would have led the people astray. So may we be ever so careful to follow God’s commands in the exact way that God commands us that we may not be disqualified and forfeit the prize either.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that You want our complete and total obedience. Help us to remember that following only part of your commands is total disobedience deserving of punishment. Oh Lord, may we be a model and example to others of what it means to truly follow You. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Trust and obey - Big Daddy Weave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-LdHCuo5-Y

Train them

"Train a child in the way appropriate for him, and when he becomes older, he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6 ISV

Just over a year ago, when four dads from South Tampa, Florida, realized that the cross country running options for their middle school aged children were scarce, they decided to start their own team and launched The Bayshore Project. This nonprofit club, staffed by volunteers, meets every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday to have the kids run from two to six miles and is open to all middle school aged students. Matt Markowski, one of the dads who develops the training and track programs said, "I think if you start the children at this age, it becomes a part of their life. As they get past the early stages of pain that’s part of it, and they start seeing their times really come down as they get faster and stronger, it just becomes part of their life."

And you know, when it comes to training children at a young age, the Bible is very clear that we are to teach our children about the Lord at the earliest possible time so that He becomes a part of their life. But just as a coach alters a training plan based on the child's age, ability and individual characteristics, we, as parents, are to do the same. You see, rather than bringing up all our children in the same way, we are to "train a child in the way appropriate for him," in the way he or she will best understand God's Word and His plan for their life, based on the special strengths and abilities God has blessed them with.

Charles Swindoll says it this way, "We receive each child from the hand of God, not as a malleable lump of clay to be molded in whatever way we see fit, but as a unique, distinctive person with a destiny. We are to honor God’s creation of this one-of-a-kind individual by adapting our training to his or her characteristic manner. To fight it is to fight God’s creation. Ask God to help you make the most of your child’s natural tendencies so that he or she can live in harmony with God’s design. And when maturity comes, his or her success will be a legacy you can enjoy together."

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that You created every child uniquely and that we should teach them according to that blessed uniqueness. Help us to be Godly examples for them to follow knowing that the better we "train", the more they will see the importance of it. Oh Lord, help us to raise children that love You as much we do! It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Steal their hearts - The Neverclaim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgSimDEdCTI

No looking backwards

"Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."" Luke 9:62 NIV

Jorge Cruz, 34, finished the Miami Half-Marathon in under two hours Sunday placing 1,361 out of 14,000 runners. And if that's not impressive enough, he did it while running backwards to raise awareness to the plight of Puerto Rico, which is still struggling to recover after Hurricane Maria. It seems that running backwards is not only good for bringing attention to situations people deem important though, backwards running (also called reverse running, retro running or retro locomotion) is also touted for its physical benefits because it works different muscles than forward running. Oddly enough, it's becoming so popular that the United Kingdom has held several backward running championships. 

And while running backwards might be good for improving muscular balance, looking backwards is not always good as Jesus pointed out. You see, when He was teaching about what it meant to follow Him, He was met with many reasons why the men He encountered could not immediately do so. And to all these reasons Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God." In other words, upon meeting the Savior, there could be no valid excuse for anyone to look back to attending to worldly duties in exchange for following Him and attending to heavenly duties. It was a clear reminder that Jesus demands our immediate, eager and total commitment - and anyone with a divided heart cannot properly do the work ministry requires. 

Pastor Kevin Mckisic says it this way,"We should not let life’s lesser priorities become greater priorities than God’s work because we then become little use to Him, and we become unfit or unusable for His service. Remember that you can not plough a straight line if you are looking back at the row you ploughed or for that fact anything behind you."

Heavenly Father, thank you your Word that so clearly reminds us that getting caught up in the world takes our focus off of you. May we remember that anytime we do that, we are bound to fall. Help us to love you with our whole hearts Lord and to be consumed with serving you above all else. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Whole heart - Brandon Heath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z0vViy0uLU

Devote yourselves

"All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord's Supper), and to prayer." Acts 2:42 NLT

If you're a year-round outdoor runner and your friends are not, you might share with me the pangs of loneliness that winter can bring. Thankfully though, Saturday's unseasonably warm temps that prompted tens of runners to trade their treadmills for the outdoors at the Cabin Fever Reliever Run, was a welcome relief from that solitude (if only for a day). And as I was feeling blessed to be running alongside one of my closest friends for the entire 20k race, I was reminded of why the Bible stresses the importance of making time for fellowship. You see, as he and I ran, we "devoted" our conversation and time together to discuss the most meaningful things in life... the Word and the teachings within it's pages. 

And while the Greek words translated “fellowship” in the New Testament mean essentially a partnership to the mutual benefit of those involved, Christian fellowship is the mutually beneficial relationship between Christians, who can’t have the identical relationship with those outside the faith. And it's these relationships that the "believers devoted themselves" to. In other words, they made meeting together a priority and a habit so they could grow in faith and knowledge by studying and discussing "the apostles' teaching.” But they didn't just meet "to fellowship" when it was convenient, they devoted themselves to it by purposely and consistently reserving, setting apart and dedicating time for it - and also to “sharing in meals... and to prayer.”

And if you think it's not important to regularly associate with people who share your beliefs my friend, consider the words of John R. Rice, "People go wrong in their fellowships before they go wrong in their doctrine." Knowing that, may you and I be devoted to meeting with our Christian brothers and sisters no matter what the weather. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word that so clearly reminds us that fellowship between believers is not something to be neglected but nurtured. Help us to devote ourselves to not only meeting together but to prayer as well, prayer for one another and prayer for those that are lost. It's in your precious name pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!

Jesus is the name we honour  - Weareworship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6EeB7UjM6Q

After the race

Before the race

Fellowship can happen anywhere

The good fight

 

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; " 2 Timothy 4:6,7

Until yesterday, I really didn't know much about Dave McGillivray except that he was the Race Director of the Iconic Boston Marathon. So it was a blessing to attend the HHR Race Director Conference along with some friends and hear his story. It seems he's had quite a busy life literally running across the country (twice), and organizing and competing in countless other endurance races in an effort to raise money for the Jimmy Fund and other causes. With no intention of stopping, I loved what he said, "At the end of my life, I'd like to think I gave everything I had and then some, until I simply 'run' out of time".

As the apostle Paul was nearing the end of his life, having worked tirelessly to win others to Christ and giving everything he had, he wrote, ".. the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course, I have kept the faith:" With absolute confidence, Paul could declare that he had not only answered his call but had done it leaving nothing to spare... he had indeed fought the good fight.

As Christians, shouldn't we all be able to say the same? Without a doubt, that answer is yes. So until we too 'run' out of time, may you and I be working tirelessly to win others to Christ through our words and actions. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for equipping us with everything we need to fulfill the calling you have placed on each of us to love and help others and to share the Gospel with the lost. Help us to recognize our individual talents and to use them to give everything we have to bring you glory, It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!

Fighting the good fight - Unspoken

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0M3X3_pFD4

Number your days

"Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts." Psalm 90:12 HCSB

By all accounts, this has been one of the worst flu seasons in recent history with TIME Health reporting, "A total of 30 children have died from influenza this flu season, including 10 new cases reported to the CDC as of Jan. 13. It is not yet clear how many adults in total have died from the flu, although individual cases of adults dying from influenza causes have been reported." Katie Denise Oxley Thomas, a 40-year-old mother of three in San Jose, CA, was one of those adults. Katie, who was a marathon-runner and considered extremely healthy, died just two days after catching the flu. Her sister said, "The doctor was saying that he had never seen anything like this, and it was not supposed to happen."

You know, whether we like it or not, things that are “not supposed to happen" happen every single day. People, young and old, die unexpectedly leaving us to mourn their loss and reflect on how life can end in an instant, taking our dreams and aspirations with it. Moses certainly understood that and so asked, "Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts." You see, Moses realized that his time was limited and wanted God to instruct him on just how limited it was. And he wanted the God-given prudence to do only those things the Lord had called him to before his time was over - working not for personal gain but for eternal gain. 

And you know, you and I would be smart to ask the same. To pray that God would give us an awareness of how fleeting our time really is and the discernment to spend it wisely - tirelessly, persistently and intentionally working to make a difference in the lives’ of others and in the world around us. Because that, my friend, is the wisest way to use our days. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminder that our lives are short at best, and some shorter than others. Help us to live each day as if it were our last that we wouldn’t waste precious time on anything that won't make an eternal difference in the life of someone else. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Blink - Revive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvuxFdM3S58

https://nypost.com/2018/01/16/marathon-runner-dies-two-days-after-flu-diagnosis/
http://time.com/5112677/flu-death-count-2018/

The test

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23, 24

By definition, a test is a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use. And since 1968, the 12-minute run test, or Cooper Test, has been used by thousands of coaches and trainers to determine an athletes' fitness level. Quite simply, the test requires a person to run non-stop and at full-effort for 12 minutes around a track - with the amount of laps a person is able to complete accurately determining their vo2 max, or maximal oxygen consumption. The higher a person's vo2 max, the greater their cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance. This grueling test has been proven so effective that it's still being used today even though, as runner Mark Dent said, "No matter how fast you run, it won’t end sooner. You can’t escape. The 12-minute run always means 12 painful minutes."

And you know, while this test is obviously strenuous, difficult and sometimes painful, it’s the easiest way to measure an athletes’ current ability so they can improve. And isn't that the purpose of all tests? To determine where a person is so they can get better? David seemed to know that when he said, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me... Point out anything in me that offends you..." You see, as unpleasant as it might have been for David to undergo testing, he knew it was the only way to find and remove any barriers that kept him from being led “along the path of everlasting life.” 

And while I’m sure, like us, David would have preferred a life free from pain, his great love for the Lord compelled him to tenaciously seek and ask for any “procedure” that would draw him closer to Him - and for that, David will always be known as a man after God’s own heart. And shouldn’t that be the very thing that you and I strive to be known for as well? 

Heavenly Father, thank you testing us to reveal our strengths and weaknesses. Help us to welcome and actually ask to be searched that we might be convicted of  anything within us that you might find offensive - that we might let it go and allow you to lead us along the path of everlasting life. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Search me Lord - Donnie McClurkin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUh2mI8BGq8

https://www.runnersworld.com/vo2-max/the-running-test-that-has-tormented-sports-biggest-stars-turns-50