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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
Encouragement For The Race
October 11, 2007
Can you imagine running in a crowd of forty-thousand people? Just think
what it would look like if every man woman and child in the city of
Norwich lined up to run together. It is mind boggling to think of and yet
last Sunday a young woman from our church did just that. April Rezendes
flew out to Chicago with a group of friends to run in the LaSalle Bank
Chicago Marathon. If the thought of forty-thousand runners hasn't zapped
your brain, then think about running 26 miles in 88 degree heat. I don't
know about you, but I don't think I could make it one mile never mind
running the whole marathon.
April tells about the experience in her blog entry after the race. She had
been training for weeks. Every day she would go out running the streets of
Boston where she lives now. On the weekends she and a group of friends
would take off for New Hampshire or some other scenic location to put in
some real miles. So when she was standing in the crowd waiting for the
race to begin, She was ready. Of course that is like saying you have taped
the windows and secured the lawn furniture in anticipation of a hurricane.
You can never truly be ready. Prepared is a better word.
"The first nine miles were relatively easy," April writes. She and her
friends from Beantown were chatting and laughing and having a good
time. Mile nineteen was the most difficult. The heat was getting to her and
her legs were cramping up. The running was beginning to take it's toll. It
was at that point that something happened that helped her get though. A
runner from Chicago saw her struggling and he came up beside her and
started talking to her. He shared some words of encouragement and told
her what to expect as the course wound down to its final miles. April said
"that definitely got me though..."
I read that and it hit home for me. Life has been described by more than
one person as a great race. For example, as he neared the end of his life,
the apostle Paul writes, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the
race. I have kept the faith." He was trying to capture the imagination of
people who knew and understood what a marathon was like I am not a
runner so I can't imagine running any distance. But I do know that life can
be grueling at times. There are moments when you just want to give up.
You have gone as far as you can go. You are tired, cramping up mentally
and physically and have nothing left to give. So often that is when that
mysterious person shows up.
The disciples were distraught and lost as they walked the Emmaus Road.
Suddenly a stranger appeared and their hearts were made glad. How many
times have you been heart broken and then had a friend drop by to cheer
you up. How many times have you felt bewildered only to have someone
call and become a listening ear. April didn't say it, but that person was
what we call a "godsend." What we mean is that they were sent from God
to lift us up and carry us through the tough parts of this race we call life.
I have been told that the most repeated phrase in the Holy Scriptures is
this: "Fear not! For I am with you!" So next time your life feels like a
marathon, call on God and he will send someone to run along side you for
a time and keep you going. It may be a friend, a dog or even a stranger.
But when they come, give thanks to God.
God bless! See you in church. Cal
October 11, 2007
Can you imagine running in a crowd of forty-thousand people? Just think
what it would look like if every man woman and child in the city of
Norwich lined up to run together. It is mind boggling to think of and yet
last Sunday a young woman from our church did just that. April Rezendes
flew out to Chicago with a group of friends to run in the LaSalle Bank
Chicago Marathon. If the thought of forty-thousand runners hasn't zapped
your brain, then think about running 26 miles in 88 degree heat. I don't
know about you, but I don't think I could make it one mile never mind
running the whole marathon.
April tells about the experience in her blog entry after the race. She had
been training for weeks. Every day she would go out running the streets of
Boston where she lives now. On the weekends she and a group of friends
would take off for New Hampshire or some other scenic location to put in
some real miles. So when she was standing in the crowd waiting for the
race to begin, She was ready. Of course that is like saying you have taped
the windows and secured the lawn furniture in anticipation of a hurricane.
You can never truly be ready. Prepared is a better word.
"The first nine miles were relatively easy," April writes. She and her
friends from Beantown were chatting and laughing and having a good
time. Mile nineteen was the most difficult. The heat was getting to her and
her legs were cramping up. The running was beginning to take it's toll. It
was at that point that something happened that helped her get though. A
runner from Chicago saw her struggling and he came up beside her and
started talking to her. He shared some words of encouragement and told
her what to expect as the course wound down to its final miles. April said
"that definitely got me though..."
I read that and it hit home for me. Life has been described by more than
one person as a great race. For example, as he neared the end of his life,
the apostle Paul writes, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the
race. I have kept the faith." He was trying to capture the imagination of
people who knew and understood what a marathon was like I am not a
runner so I can't imagine running any distance. But I do know that life can
be grueling at times. There are moments when you just want to give up.
You have gone as far as you can go. You are tired, cramping up mentally
and physically and have nothing left to give. So often that is when that
mysterious person shows up.
The disciples were distraught and lost as they walked the Emmaus Road.
Suddenly a stranger appeared and their hearts were made glad. How many
times have you been heart broken and then had a friend drop by to cheer
you up. How many times have you felt bewildered only to have someone
call and become a listening ear. April didn't say it, but that person was
what we call a "godsend." What we mean is that they were sent from God
to lift us up and carry us through the tough parts of this race we call life.
I have been told that the most repeated phrase in the Holy Scriptures is
this: "Fear not! For I am with you!" So next time your life feels like a
marathon, call on God and he will send someone to run along side you for
a time and keep you going. It may be a friend, a dog or even a stranger.
But when they come, give thanks to God.
God bless! See you in church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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