Running The Race: Water Stations

So yesterday was the big race. Without a doubt, the biggest relief at any point during this race was the water stations. It was a fairly hot day yesterday and as people staggered in to the water stations, exhausted and starting to feel dizzy with dehydration, they grabbed cups of water from the volunteers like it was a magical life potion.

To continue with the apostle Paul's analogy that the Christian life is comparable to running a race, we have a water station for times when we feel exhausted, dizzy and dehydrated.

"Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.' " -John 7:37

One great (and life-saving) quality of the water stations in a race is that it's open to everybody. It's not only the elite racers or the best looking racers who get a cup of water. Out of the thousands of people running the the race yesterday, every single one who came to the water station received a cup of water. Likewise, the incredible thing about Jesus' invitation is that it's open to anyone; "if anyone is thirsty". You don't have to be born into the right family, you don't have to do all the right things, you don't have to be anybody special in order to come to Jesus.  If someone will humble themselves to come to Jesus, even if they have to crawl, He will accept them and give them His life-giving water.

A potentially concerning thing about road races is when spectators offer "un-official" drinks to racers passing by. We're told not to accept drinks from anyone other than water station volunteers. This is for obvious safety reasons. The spectators are strangers and could have contaminated the water. Luckily, this has never happened in the Tely 10, but other road races have had instances where a group of spectators decided to pull a very dangerous prank by handing out salt water to runners. Salt water leaves you more dehydrated than if you hadn't drank any water at all.

In our walk with God, we do have other options; there are other sources of water that we could choose to drink. They are not wise choices or good sources of water, but they do exist. Money, friendship, sex, drugs, and self-indulgence all promise to satisfy our souls. But just like salt-water, they leave you even more depraved than you were at the beginning. The woman at the well in John 4 came to realize this concept. She had been drinking "worldly water" in the form of romantic relationships, hoping to find satisfaction. After five failed marriages, each one leaving her more and more thirsty, she ran into Jesus who changed her life.

"but whoever drinks the water I [Jesus] give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." - John 4:14

Unlike the contaminated water sources the world offers, Jesus gives us water that causes us to "never thirst". Once you taste the water of God, you never need to look anywhere else.

One final thought on this. There is an action required of us in all of this. In that verse above, Jesus said "whoever drinks the water". This is an action that He cannot force on us. He can invite us to go to Him, He can offer us the water, but it's up to us to drink it. Just like a volunteer working at the water stations can hold out the cup of water for you to take but they can't force you to drink it.  If your spiritual life feels dry, tired, disoriented, or maybe completely passed out... maybe it's time for a drink. Go to Jesus again today and ask for that living water.


"As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God."
 - Psalm 42: 1-2

Running The Race: Tough Parts

My previous post talked about how exciting and simple the beginning of a race seems. Unfortunately, after the race has started and you have a few miles under your belt, the ease seems to evaporate. When sweat is pouring from your forehead and you're faced with a daunting hill, you might start to question why you ever decided to run the race at all.

As the apostle Paul pointed out several times in his epistles, the life of a disciple of Christ is quite similar to a running race. This, unfortunately, means that a Christian's life will have tough parts. We'll experience fatigue, pain, and perhaps question our decision to ever run this race.

"In this world, you will have trouble." - John 16:33

This is one of the most difficult to swallow promises that Jesus makes. We love promises about God's faithfulness and mercy, but this promise is just as true as the rest of them. As sure as a runner will break a sweat, a true disciple of Christ will experience trouble.

We can learn from running how to deal with these times of trouble. When we approach a trial with a godly point of view, it is a blessing rather than a hindrance. Running, just like any other form of exercise, it makes you stronger. The same principle applies to our Christian lives. James tells us to "consider it pure joy... whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." (James 2:2-3) We develop spiritual endurance and perseverance by enduring those "hills". Again, Psalm 119:71 tells us a similar story:

"It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees."

Our suffering, though painful, provides us a chance to grow and learn more about God. Without affliction, we can't experience God's healing. Without being broken by sin, we can't fully understand His grace. Taking this mindset can provide a major advantage in getting through our trials.

When tackling a steep hill while running, the runner's attitude can make the difference between making it to the top of the hill or collapsing halfway up. In terms of racing, I've been trained to think about reaching the top and coasting down the other side as opposed to thinking about the pain of going up. Similarly, when life puts a hill in your way, you have a choice to focus on the problem or focus on God pulling you through.

The story of David and Goliath has been beaten to death so much that it's a cliche for overcoming trials. But the method used by David to overcome his giant is the same one you and I can use. He focused on God and not on the giant. When all of Israel's army was looking at Goliath and his size, they were terrified and unable to defeat him. But David steps in, and he doesn't talk about Goliath. He talks about God.

"I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel... This is the day the Lord will hand you over to me... the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel... the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give all of you into our hands" - 1 Samuel 17:45-47

In the passage above, I've bolded each time David mentions God. Seven times in once speech. How many times do the other soldiers mention God? Zero. They're too busy worrying about how big Goliath is. When you forget God and focus on the problem, you often get paralyzed with fear and can't defeat the giant. But when you focus on God, your Goliath doesn't stand a chance. God is massive! If you're staring at Him, any hill in your way will look tiny in comparison.

Another strategy that many runners use when tackling hills is to change their stride. They slow down a little and take shorter strides. This helps them maintain their energy to make it through. When life gives you a hill, slow down. Rest!

Without rest, we have no peace.

"I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.” - Job 3:26

"Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest."- Psalm 55:5-6

God has designed us to rest, in fact He commands us to take a day of rest. Daily, we are invited to rest in Him. This is even more important during times of struggle.

"My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." - Exodus 33:14

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." - Matthew 11:28-29

When you reach the tough parts of this Christian "run", make sure you slow down, focus on God, and experience His rest. Earlier, I mentioned Jesus' promise from John 16:33, that we would experience trouble in this world. The beautiful part comes at the end of that verse: "But take heart! I have overcome the world". God won't flatten your hills for you, but he'll help push you to the top.

Running The Race: Start Line

This coming Sunday is the 83rd annual Tely 10 Road Race here in St. John's. It's the biggest road race in Atlantic Canada and one of the oldest in North America. I'll be running that race again this year, so it got me thinking about how many times the Bible compares our lives in Christ with a race. The next few days I'll share some thoughts on different aspects of the race and how that compares to a physical running race.

Hebrews 12:1 - "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Let's start at the start. The start line, I mean. The most anxious moments of a race might be standing at the start line waiting for the gun to go off. But it's also an exciting time. Whether you're the guy at the front of the line hoping to win the race or an inexperienced runner who's just out for some fun, the start line is fun. It's exciting. Everyone's chatty and friendly. You haven't broken a sweat yet. The race hasn't gotten difficult yet.

Our Christian lives start in a very similar way. When you first come to know Christ and receive Him as your savior, it's a very exciting time. You feel your sin lifted away. You experience the presence of your Creator perhaps for the first time. Everyone around you is also excited, chatty and friendly towards you, celebrating your new life with you. You'll be itching to get going in this new life with Christ, hungry to pray and devour as much scripture as possible. When you're at the start, it's easy to feel that fire for God. This is a great time—enjoy it and savour it. Because just like a running race, you haven't broken a sweat yet. The race hasn't gotten difficult yet.

If you're in a "start line" season of life, rejoice in it! God is blessing you with a very special time, and you should take full advantage of that. Seek God as passionately as you can and allow Him to move in every aspect of your life. Jesus promises that it will get more difficult, but for the time being, enjoy where you are.

Psalm 118:24- "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."