On Saturday of this past weekend, I completed the Phoenix Marathon, which was my eighth Marathon. I was so excited about the race, the course, and being in Phoenix with dear friends for the weekend. I felt like this might be a race where I could shave a few minutes off of my personal best. But, not to be. I was almost 19 minutes worse than my best time. The course was predominately downhill, which should make for a fast time. You would think, right? What looks like it can be one thing, can actually turn around and bite you. Look at this elevation map:
This map shows a 1000 foot elevation drop, but it's the first 4 miles that are of most notice. Those 4 miles at that steepness, was a killer on the quads and by mile 18 my quads were thrashed (they are still killing me). What looks to be an advantage, can turn out to be a real disadvantage. Just because it all looks like smooth sailing and downhill doesn't mean that things will work out for the better. The best course is always the one that you expect, have managed before and can predict, even if they have some uphills in them.
The race that God has put in front of us requires endurance to finish it well. If this wasn't so, Paul wouldn't have put that challenge out to us in Hebrews. Our race (life and our spiritual life) is one that none of us have ever personally run before so each day brings a new hill, a new footing, or a new obstacle to overcome. But, what we know is that with God's support, love and grace that our course can be conquered. Today, we start a workweek and it might be that we are still sore from something from last week or the past and we don't feel like we can climb the hills or control ourselves from careening out of control. This is the moment to call upon Him to be there with us so that we move forward in His will and Spirit asking for guidance for each and every course correction needed.
Reference: Hebrews 12:1 (New Living Translation)
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