One Day at a time, a daily reflection

by surprisedbyjoy@yahoo.com

December 10

A man named Joe

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who completes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." I Corinthians 9:24-27

Years ago, I had the crazy idea of running a marathon in honor of my fortieth birthday. My neighbor, Joe, had successfully run five marathons and offered many valuable insights and suggestions that I followed religiously during the rigorous training schedule.

‘Joe,’ I asked on our way to the starting line, ‘ What do I have to do to finish the race? What is the one most important thing?’ ‘Well…hmm…there is only one thing,’ he said. ‘If you do this, you will finish the marathon. If not, you won’t. Drink water. Stop at every water station and drink deep. Drink whether you feel like it or not. If you do, you’ll be OK.’

Joe was well in the lead when I lost sight of him. I ran with thousands of runners and stopped at every water station, drinking glasses of water whether I was thirsty or not. At mile 23, I was hurting and wanted to quit. I found myself singing the doxology. I refused to quit and determined to crawl to the finish line if necessary. And I finished the race! Receiving a medal, hugs and congratulations was a joyful experience.

After coming home and showering, I called my friend Joe. His worried wife answered the phone. She had not seen him finish the race and had hoped he was with me. Hours later, she found Joe in a nearby hospital. He was seriously dehydrated. You see, he had not followed his own advice. He had decided during the thrill of the race to run for speed and neglected to drink water at the numerous water stations along the course. He collapsed at mile 23 and needed emergency intravenous fluids. He was disqualified from completing the race.

The church is our water station. If we are to thrive and serve God, we need water stations with other people of faith to encourage and cheer us on. And we will encourage and cheer them. It goes both ways. God calls us to run as a community of faith. We need regular worship as part of our race training, whether we feel like it or not. We need to slow down weekly, and drink deeply from the word of God, praying and caring for others, before returning to our busy lives.

As Christmas draws near, consider going to church for a long drink of water. Search for a church that welcomes people of all sexual orientations. Help each other run the marathon of life. Enjoy remembering the reason of the season. And praise God when the going gets difficult.

Prayer: Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.