September 11th, 2008 several hundred runners gathered in Lake Zurich, IL to compete in the Alpine Run a Half Marathon full of twists, turns, and hills to pound any man into submission.
13.1 miles doesn’t seem like much for any one that’s trained for a goal like the Annual Chicago Marathon. Forty four year old Jeffrey Randall was someone doing just that in his training. Jeffrey had trained well. In fact, this race was part of his Marathon training.
Mile after mile clicked by for him, as he went through the motions. Nine, ten, eleven, he was strong. But, somewhere he missed a sign from his body, because at mile 12 he just stopped. He collapsed from the race.
Strong, virile, able to push himself to the limits. Unfortunately, he missed something his doctor could have told him, “You need to be careful. You have heart disease.”
We are now some days from that event and running each of our own races. Major players in finance, Lehman Brothers, AIG, and Merrill Lynch all in financial despair. Thousands of homes in foreclosure, and families left homeless due to severe national flooding. Physical races that test the spirit of men, and make each of us worry about tomorrow.
Jesus shared that there were going to be hard times for the disciples. Matthew 24:6, he shares with us that there will be wars, famine, and hatred take heart hope is coming. The race is almost over. He prepared the disciples in Matthew 6. He was the doctor each of us needs. The one to remind us of our personal heart disease.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:25-33, NIV
How do we then run our race? Jesus shares in verse 33 sums up the total training process for us. First, we seek the kingdom of God. His kingdom can be found by living like Jesus. Jesus made his decisions by asking himself, “What would God (The Father) have me do?” He would even ask the father for answers, and God would reply. Jesus made sure that there was nothing to keep him from hearing God’s voice and reading the signs.
Second, seek His righteousness. His righteousness is freely given to anyone that asks. It is asking for God to forgive us the things that keep us from hearing Him. And, accepting Jesus’ life as payment for that sin.
Are you in your twelfth mile? Do you feel the signs of stress from the race? Then, this is your day to start retraining. Ask God for the answers, accept the gift of His son Jesus, and let your faith in Him take you the end of your race. We weren’t made to race alone, so why should you. Accept Him today.
Note: Please keep the Randall family in your prayers, Jeffrey is survived by his wife and two daughters living in Naperville, IL.
