No, I’m not changing my blogsite name or creating a new Bible translation of Hebrews 12:1. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the verse that has literally changed – and dare I say – saved my life this last decade. But does God really mean “RUN the race He has set before us?” I’m no theologian or Bible scholar. I am simply one who’s taken God at His Word with literal childlike faith for most of my adult life. So when He says “run,” I run.
Reminds me of when Natalie was three and we were in our living room dancing to the radio. Some fast songs that to a toddler meant jumping, twisting, and running in circles until you were about to puke. Thankfully, a slow song finally came on at which point I said “Oh good, a slow dance!” and reached out to hold her so we could sway together to the music. Instead, Natalie rejected my embrace and began doing all her previous moves but in s-s-l-l-l-o-o-o-w-w mo. Literally slow dancing. And then there was the time we were running super late and five year old Natalie insisted on tying her shoes “all by myself” since she had just learned a few days ago. Impatiently, I muttered under my breath “Could you go any slower?” Apparently, Natalie heard me and proceeded to tie her shoes even more slowly whilst saying “Okay, but I thought we were in a hurry.”
Maybe because it’s been hotter than the surface of the sun this last month and more humid than a steam room, I took to indoor cycling. There was a time not too long ago that I would’ve looked those temps and dew point in the eye and said “Ha! Bring on the heat training!” I did used to intentionally run in 95 degree heat and sit in the steam room at the gym with the steam on high for 30 minutes when I was training for summer endurance races. Still not enough preparation for my first 8 hour Midwest race in the middle of July. Kicked my butt for sure. Soon after, a friend posted a verse about humility which I thought said humidity. Actually made more sense that way. Lol.
I’m one week out from that same annual 8 hour race sitting here in my air-conditioned kitchen writing at this moment. I had ramped up my indoor cycle classes but realized the gym bikes are also in an air-conditioned setting. So I took to biking outdoors which was more comfortable than running since you get a bit of a breeze on a bike even in the hottest temps. Longest ride has been 31 miles. I’ve ridden twice that distance in cold blustery storms back in NorCal, but I’ll take that over humidity any day. I miss those days.
Even more, I miss running with Jesus. Hold on…
Are you saying you can only have that special time with Jesus if you’re running? NO! Maybe. Depends.
A running inspo (podcaster, blogger, Boston BQer) of mine wrote a while back “I get my best ideas when I’m running. I never want to lose that special time.” Made me think about the countless times during my runs that Jesus has inspired a new blogpost, talked me outta self-inflicted criticism, talked me into doing better for myself and others, and kept me going one step at a time during the most painful moments of a race as well as life.
Perhaps God is teaching me to find Him in a new form of discipline. To see Him in unexpected places. To dig deeper in areas of weakness. To get outta comfort zones. To refocus on my source of strength. To get back to the foundation of what it means to train with Jesus… CROSS training.
I remember so vividly, like it was yesterday, when I first heard Hebrews 12:1 back in 2008 – the year I lost 35lbs and ran my first race. It was a normal Sunday morning church service. Okay, maybe not normal as right before the message a dude dressed like Lance Armstrong ran down the middle aisle holding his bike up over his shoulders like it weighed nothing. That was the whole point. The entire sermon. I just didn’t know it at the time.
“…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” NLT
That bike was around 15lbs – the minimum required safety weight of Tour de France bikes. Only 4lbs or so of the bike is the paper-thin carbon frame. For comparison, a typical road bike is around 26lbs and hybrid around 30lbs. In a race such as Tour de France (or really any race), stripping down as much weight as possible is a major factor for speed and enduring longer distances. It’s fascinating to watch the 21 different Tour de France stages over 24 days covering about 2,200 miles of varying terrain. Dave thinks I’m nuts for being glued to the TV as the coverage admittedly does look the same for hours each day. The fascinating part is how they literally bike all those miles with only the shirts on their backs. Shorts, too, but you get what I mean. When it comes to hydration and food, they don’t stop. They don’t really slow down either. Team cars ride alongside each cyclist matching their speeds and hand them necessary items. If there’s an injury (non-life threatening), the team doctor proceeds the same way treating them from a moving car. It’s also ludicrous how close together cyclists ride (the peloton) at top speeds and how close crazy spectators are allowed to spectate as they whizz past each major point of interest. Then there’s those downhills. Fastest recorded speed is 63.1mph. Unofficial is 85mph. Flat road speed is typically 25-28mph.
If I’m ever going over 25mph, you’d better get outta my way because it means my brakes aren’t working on a downhill and I’m preparing to meet my Maker.
Of course, that Sunday’s sermon was not about how to win the Tour de France. It was about how to win in daily life. The guest speaker was a pro cyclist; but first and foremost, he was a man of faith who could speak from experience the benefits of losing weight to go faster on his bike AND to draw closer to Jesus. Losing all the unnecessary weighty items on a bike (but I kinda like having a kickstand) for maximum efficiency. Losing all the “baggage” of the world so nothing gets between me and Jesus. That baggage is everything from holding grudges, compromising values, acting entitled, harboring unforgiveness, withholding grace and mercy, standing in a place of judgement and everything in between.
God offers the solution. The way to be a lean, mean running machine. Give it all to Him. Lay it down at the feet of Jesus. Acknowledge you can’t run the race holding on to all this extra weight. Stop carrying around the heavy, heavy burden of unconfessed sin.
When I was 8, I took a dollar bill from my mom’s wallet while she was napping. I was so nervous my hands were shaking. For the rest of the day and what felt like an eternity after (probably a few days), every time I heard a siren I thought it was the police coming to arrest me for stealing that dollar bill. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I couldn’t look my mom in the eyes or have our normal fun conversations. I decided to put that dollar bill back in her wallet. You know what? I never did tell her what I had done or how it made me feel. I’m sure she sensed something was up. I had put an awkward distance between us. Thinking back to the kind of mom she was, I have no doubt she would’ve not only appreciated my honesty but been very sad at how unnecessarily ashamed it made me feel. She might’ve actually cried then laughed about the police thing, told me she forgives me, given me a huge hug while saying I’ll always love you. Here I am 47 years later – I wish I’d told her.
Part of me is afraid if I stop running I’ll lose those special moments of inspiration, conviction, and connection with Jesus. Sounds silly now that I actually said it. So did God reeeeeally mean to literally RUN the race? Yes! But don’t limit yourself to running…
1 Corinthians 9:24-26 “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step.” NLT
“So I bike with purpose in every pedal stroke.”
“And let us bike with endurance the race God has set before us.” NIV (New Irene Version) Lol.