Hello
For some of us, we’re not only beginning a new month; but we are also entering the traditional season of spiritual reflection practised by many mainline churches. While I’ve never been a follower of that tradition, I’m also aware that it encourages a particular type of spiritual discipline, which for some is easier with churchwide support. If you are one of those who uses this season as a time of reflection, I pray this will prove spiritually enriching for you.
# That’s being said, I pray you are able to savor today’s Holy Nougat™
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1 KJV
Did any of you watch the 2016 Olympics? Despite myself I was intrigued by the distance races of both the males and females. In one of the races, two runners left the pack from the second or third lap. They had a distance of 5000 metres, which is approximately 20 laps around the track. My engineering-trained brother shook his head and commented that they needed to pace themselves. Soon enough, just as he had predicted, they seemed to be running in reverse. Having pushed out too early, they did not have the stamina to finish the distance …
Enter the life (/spiritual) lesson
When we are encouraged to “Run with patience the race that is set before us”, perhaps it is inviting us to pace ourselves. For, it is not God’s desire that we fail or perish.
And so we run with at least 2 other persons:: one who encourages us and one for whom we are The Encouragement. Thus whether we’re running ahead of ourselves or lagging too far behind, we are able to pace ourselves.
Running with patience affords us the opportunity to check our progress, and also ‘see and hear’ God’s plans for our lives. Knowing that we’re in this for the long haul, we ought to be open to God’s water breaks and whatever other enhancements God has programmed just for our race of life.
So, reality check
# Have we unintentionally departed from our support systems along the way?
# What has our encouragement and experience profited others?
# in there any matter which needs to be resolved while running this race?
May the Lord add flavor and potency to these words.
Thank you for joining us in this Divine feast.
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
