Marathon
I am getting to the age where people in my age group are doing one of the following things:
Getting married
Having kids
Getting a secondary degree
Long distance running, particularly marathons
I started to consider running. The interesting thing about running long distances is you have to pace yourself. It’s a balancing act between speed and stamina. If you run too fast, you’ll be too tired to continue. If you go too slow, you’ll disqualify yourself from being able to finish the race because they are timed. Is not salvation the same way?
We see in the parable of the sower, a warning about “running” too fast:
Luke 8:4-8 NKJV
4 And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
We see in the parable that going too fast in our walks means we miss what is vital to stay grounded. Running is similar, if you speed through the run, you WILL be exhausted. Some runners even collapse or develop rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition where your muscle tissues are breaking down. Sometimes rhabdo arises from lack of proper preparation for a run. Simmer on that.
And we all know that life is not promised, so you must make the most of your time here - can’t move slow or assume you have more time:
Ecclesiastes 9:12a AMP
For man also does not know his time [of death]…
Proverbs 6:4 AMP
Give no [unnecessary] sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids;
And even more, if you compare yourself to other runners (Saints in our analogy), you miss what God has for you:
2 Corinthians 10:12-13
12 We do not have the audacity to put ourselves in the same class or compare ourselves with some who [supply testimonials to] commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they lack wisdom and behave like fools. 13 We, on the other hand, will not boast beyond our proper limit, but [will keep] within the limits of our commission (territory, authority) which God has granted to us as a measure, which reaches and includes even you.
So you may be wondering, well then what’s the right answer. Well, the right thing is to run your own race. The Lord gave all of us unique callings and gifts for a specific purpose:
Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
In these scriptures, we see all the more how our walk in the Lord is a marathon and not a sprint. Your goal should be going toward the prize of salvation and Heaven, and not rushing through your walk or shirking it off for earthly accolades. But as the writer of Hebrews reminds us, endurance is key to running your own race.
I’ll leave you with this scripture.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 AMP
11 I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong, and neither is bread to the wise nor riches to those of intelligence and understanding nor favor to men of ability; but time and chance overtake them all.
Saints, prepare yourself for the marathon of life and pace yourself to win the ultimate eternal prize.