(Let me set the stage for you… It’s April 7th, 2018 and I’m talking about the Cooper River Bridge Run, its a 10K that runs or walks (in my case) across the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, a.k.a. the Cooper River Bridge- it is a cable-stayed bridge over the Copper River. Ever year they have a run that starts in Mount Pleasant and ends in Downtown Charleston at Marion Square!)
I contemplate…
1st off, is this really a good idea…
who talked me into this…
and why did I think this was a good idea…
y’all I got up at 5am to make it here!!!
Too early for a girl who loves her sleep!!!
I mean the sun wasn’t even out yet…
Once I realized that hey you signed up, paid your money, and made the decision to do this…
A few more serious (important) thoughts came to mind!
…Somehow I managed to get here and am going to run this race by myself… it’s amazing how many people are standing beside me and yet I’m by myself…
But am I really…
“…For the Lord says he’ll never leave me or forsake me.” Hebrews 13:5
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
That’s amazing that we have a God that loves us, wants to be with us, and is in fact with us! He won’t leave us or forsake us!
Also another deep thought that’s been running in my head is the story of how the way distance running started… really the idea of how the marathon started… (Yes, I know that a 10K is a lot shorter than a marathon! But I was just sitting there thinking about who invented this “Race” idea?)
So Marathon… it’s in commutation of a Greek myth that a Greek solider, Pheidippides, ran 25 Miles from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, to tell the Good News, that the Persians had been defeated! It is reported that after he exclaimed the good news (nenikekamen,) “we have won!”, he collapsed and died!
A few things I find interesting about this story…
1st:
This guy ran 25 miles! Wow, that’s a lot… and I’m not talking on our nice flat highways that we have today, no I’m talking rough roads, more like rough trails.
“Mount Pentelicus stands between Marathon and Athens, which means that if Philippides actually made his famous run after the battle, he had to run around the mountain, either to the north or to the south.”-according to Wikipedia
So needless to say it’s not an easy route…
I don’t think “fun” and “enjoyable” would have been used to describe the run!
2nd:
He had a job to do and he accomplished it! Go…
And once you get there tell the good news…
We have a call also…
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)
Go…
How many times are we told that…
We are told to share the good news!
This guy believed in his mission so much that he ran the long, tedious path for 25 miles to accomplish it! He gave his life for the cause! For the good news!
We have better news! Amazing, life changing news! We know about someone who is actually more important! Do we embrace the good news! Do we share the good news? Are we getting excited about what we have to share? Are we willing to share? Are we willing… to run, to do the hard work, to suffer through the pain, to give up the worldly possessions, to give to the cause, to give up our plans and follow the Lord’s plans…
Are we willing to GO…
and Be Bold…
and Proclaim the Ultimate GOOD NEWS!
