The Race Set Before You

Last night my family (excluding me....I'm the photographer, not a runner) ran in a race with several others from our church family. Typically this race is held on a Saturday night.  We were all disappointed that it was changed to a Sunday night, but quickly realized that many wanted to run, so we got together and had an afternoon devotional before heading to the race.  I always think it is a good idea to show children (and adults, but especially children) that you don't have to be in a certain building to worship God.  We can worship ANYWHERE!  Isn't that a great thing?!?

His devotional had to do with the race that is set before us, as Christians. 

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25

I thought I got a picture of my husband with the kids, but I guess not!  My kiddos did very well in their races!  Two ran the 1 mile and placed 1st in their age groups.  Two ran the 5K and one finished 3rd in his age group.  The other one didn't finish the race. He's been having knee trouble and he didn't want to mess up anything for his basketball game Monday night!   But, all is well because he won a door prize!! 

My husband did the 5K as well.  He figured out that if he runs long enough, he'll eventually win the "oldest runner" award! :)

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.

Galatians 5:7-8

My husband's sister and our brother-in-law serve as houseparents at Tipton Home (a children's home).  These are their sweet little girls.  They've gotten them active and interested in running!  One of them placed 3rd in her age division.  Another girl won a door prize!

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8

This is one of my favorite pictures from last night.  It's my sister-in-law running across the finish line holding hands with one of her little ones.  How sweet!  And, my sister-in-law placed 3rd in her age division, as well!

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 us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

(Grinch giving hugs...:)

The Christian Race

The following devotional was written by my oldest son, Zachary.  He gave it for the youth group recently.  The stories he found online and the three points he got from a sermon somewhere online.  Other points are his own.

Nine Athletes

Some time ago at the Seattle Olympics, nine athletes, all mentally or physically challenged, were standing on the start line for the 100 m race.  The gun was fired and the race began.  Not everyone was running, but everyone wanted to participate and win.  They ran in threes, a boy tripped and fell, did a few somersaults and started crying. The other eight heard him crying. They slowed down and looked behind them.  They stopped and came back.  All of them. A girl with Down's Syndrome sat down next to him, hugged him and asked, "Feeling better now?"  Then, all nine walked shoulder to shoulder to the finish line.  The whole crowd applauded.  And the applause lasted a very long time.  People who witnessed this still talk about it.  Why?  Because deep down inside us, we all know that the most important thing in life is much more than winning for ourselves.  The most important thing is to help others win.

- Author Unknown -

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

FIRST, TO WIN THE CHRISTIAN RACE, WE MUST RUN WITH CONFIDENCE (SELF-WORTH):  In 1 John 3:1, God tells us how important we are. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"

SECOND, TO WIN THE CHRISTIAN RACE, WE MUST RUN WITH THE RIGHT MOTIVATION:  One of the greatest motivating factors for living our lives for the Lord is the grace of God.  "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." 1 Corinthians 15:10.

On August 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines flight 225 crashed just after taking off from the Detroit airport, killing 155 people.

One survived:  a four-year-old from Tempe, Arizona, named Cecelia.

News accounts say that when rescuers found Cecelia they did not believe she had been on the plane.  Investigators first assumed that Cecelia had been a passenger in one of the cars on the highway onto which the airliner crashed.  But when the passenger register for the flight was checked, there was Cecelia's name.  

Cecelia survived because, even as the plane was falling, Cecelia's mother, Paula Chican, unbuckled her own seatbelt, got down on her knees in front of her daughter, wrapped her arms and body around Cecelia, and would not let her go.

Nothing could separate that child from her parent's love  - neither tragedy or disaster, neither life or death.

This same love is the love the Savior has for each of us. He left heaven, lowered himself to us, and covered us with the sacrifice of his own body to save us.

THIRD, TO WIN THE CHRISTIAN RACE, WE MUST TURN SETBACKS INTO COME BACKS:  "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything, " James 1:4.  Never give up!  No matter what happens, we must never give up on our faith.  Things will always get better.

ON YOUR MARK! GET SET! GO!!

On Thanksgiving morning, my husband's family has a race.  It's called the "Waugh Turkey Trot".  There is a 1 mile Fun Run for the kids and then a 5K (3.1 mile) race for the adults (and some of the kids and teens run it, too).  Some of the women walk the 5K instead of running it.

Each year a trophy is given for the winner of the big race and prizes are given to the younger ones.  Because many in the family are seasoned runners, the event is competitive, but in a fun way.  It's always fun to see who wins the race.

Paul used running and races quite a bit in his writings.  He referred to the fact that everyone competes in a race, but there is only one winner.  He tells the Corinthians (and it written in God's Word for us, too) to run in such a way as to get the prize - and that prize is a crown of life that will last forever in eternity.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 

1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Running in a race takes training.  It takes a plan.  It will not just happen.  In the same way, our Christian life is a process.  Becoming a Christian is just one step of that process.  It doesn't stop there, but continues until our race is complete.  Our training comes from reading and studying the Bible, by praying, and by living a Christian life using Jesus as our examle.  And, our training is only complete when we die. 

When the time does come and our training is complete, as Christians we should be able to say as Paul did in 2 Timothy:

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

2 Timothy 4:6-7