The thing is I don’t think we are really made to be “plodders”. God says we are made in His image and He doesn’t seem to be much of a plodder. He does say that we will soar on wings like eagles and run and not grow weary or faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
Have you ever wondered about Peter who walked on water? (Matthew 14:22-23) What if when Jesus had called him to “Come to me” and on stepping out of the boat Peter hadn’t started walking on the water but had started to run? Perhaps he would have forgotten all about the wind and the waves and just focused on running to his goal – “reaching Jesus”. Perhaps he would have made it and be known as Peter who ran on water and didn’t sink!
What if David when he had approached the giant Goliath had walked up to fight him instead of running into battle. The bible says that “as Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him.” (1 Sam 17:48) I think the fact that David run at Goliath was part of his success. He’d made a decision and ran to achieve it.
The bible says “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize”. 1 Corinthians 9:24
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” Hebrews 12:1-2
To be runners and not plodders we have to know why we are running and who is before us.
David knew that the battle was the Lord’s and he knew God was before him. He was simply running towards God’s plan for his life.
Paul knew the race that God had set for him when he said we are all runners and to run our race focused on the prize – Jesus and His plan and purpose for our lives.
Isaiah 40:29-31 reminds us that “even youths grow weary and faint but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength”. Not only that it says that “God gives power to the faint and to those who have no might he increases strength”.
We are made to run, to run well and strong and with endurance until the finish. God has given us all the capacity to be “spiritual marathon runners”, and we even had a great cloud of witnesses in heaven cheering us on!
Come on let’s RUN;
Knowing that God is before us.
Keeping our focus on Jesus and not the wind and waves of life making “noise” around us.
Keeping our hope in the Lord, turning our faces towards him when we grow weary and faint, remembering He promises to increase our strength and power.