The Parable of the Marathon Runner

As many of you know I ran the Dallas White Rock Marathon last week. Officially I ran the race as a member of a relay team comprised of myself, my wife Kristy, and our friends Rob Swagerty, Heather Jones, and Shasta Kalin. But after running the first 6 mile leg I decided to keep running the full marathon. The course is 26.2 relatively flat miles from the American Airlines Center out around White Rock Lake and back.

I hadn't run a marathon since my freshman year in college and I soon remembered why. The first thing you learn about a marathon is that it is a lot more fun telling people you're going to run a marathon than actually running it. I remember standing at the starting line wondering to myself, "Would I be non-chalantly sipping Gatorade at the finish line in a few hours or babbling incoherently on some stranger's front lawn?"

The weather was fairly cooperative -- low 40's, with some wind. While I was shivering at the starting line I met Mike Pluimer, a fellow FCA Endurance member. He was targeting a sub-3:00 race time which I knew was way too fast for me. But I did bump into another buddy, Petrus Booysen, who I had raced with in a duathlon in Tyler State Park earlier this year. It was his first marathon ever and my first after 12+ years so we decided to keep each other company. It's important to team-up with someone when running a marathon ... it certainly helps to pass the miles. We were cruising along at about a 7:30/mile for 16 miles when I finally decided that I couldn't hold that pace for the entire race. So I wished "Peet" good luck and I toned it down a few notches.

I tried to stay hydrated at each aid station and I took regular doses of Hammer Gel to fuel my fading muscles. Even still, by mile 20 my quads were starting to cramp up pretty bad. I kept repeating to myself, "My soreness is a sacrifice to my Savior" (this is part of the FCA Competitor's Creed). The mantra helped and I even shared it with a few other struggling runners. Since you use different muscles when you run and when you walk I resorted to running until I cramped, then walking until I cramped, back and forth until I crossed the finish line. As a result I didn't even come close to the time I was shooting for but just finishing a marathon is a rewarding experience. I had fought the good fight, I had finished the race.

Regardless of whether or not you ever run a marathon, the Bible says we all have a race of our own to run. Jesus challenged us in Matthew 28:18-19 to "... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." The Great Commission as it is called is even more rewarding and challenging than running a marathon. But just like I had a friend to run the marathon with, God also provides us with a friend to help us along in our journey. In John 14:16 Jesus promised to send us a Counselor, a Comforter ... the Holy Spirit to guide us until we "cross the finish line."

I close this devotional with one of my favorite passages from scripture, Acts 20:24 - "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." And believe me ... the reward for completing this race isn't some cheesy finisher's medal. It's everlasting life in the Kingdom of God. Priceless.

Stay the course, finish the race ... AB

(Next Week: The Parable of Mr. Potato Head)