Isaiah 45.24 In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength (strength to achieve AMP).
The achievement is simply the ability to continue.
Only in His Strength am I able to continue.
Only in His Strength can I stand.
Only in His Strength can I do battle.
Only in His Strength can I move forward.
Only in His Strength do I have victory.
Jesus’ heart for me is to have life — ABUNDANT life. His will is that I live victoriously.
~~~~ I am struck this morning by my own very keen desire to RUN WELL. To Run well for the Lord. This thing called life is the Race. The Race of life. Not the rat race or the panicky, worldly attempt to keep pace with the fury and busy-ness of life. But the Race of Life run well for the Lord. THAT Race.
In the book of John (17.15), Jesus prays that we (believers) not be delivered presently FROM this world but that we be protected IN it. I wondered this morning about how much I have been protected from in recent weeks. In the midst of very great difficulties in my life right now — my little world turned upside down and shaken — the very core of my being tossed about — I wonder this morning how I have yet been protected. And I am thankful.
Yes, I want to run well. I want to pursue my running goals with the same fervor that I pursue my Lord and Savior. He pursued me with that same love and with tender care. I am forever grateful for that.
And in the midst of a troubled (life) week, I was moved to still put in some speedwork and hill training with the focus that those workouts, though certainly not my favorite and not particularly cheerfully anticipated, were quite simply tools used to move me forward. Progress is a good thing. Sometimes standing firm is enough; moving forward is the next and first step towards growth. Towards running at all. Towards running well. Towards victorious running.
