Monday 7 June 2010

Running the Race

Life is a privilege. It doesn't matter where you're at or what you are going through,the simple truth remains that life is a privilege.Many times our comfortable life is rocked by tragedies,difficulties,sickness,an errant son or husband-the list is endless-and we feel we cant go on. The pain is worse when the hurt is close to home. Hmmmm. Life is a challenge and daily living a hurdle. sometimes the road is inter layed with sporadic bursts of laughter, success and wham!!! in your face disaster that rocks the boat. Sometimes you run,jog,crawl and most times drag your feet but you just keep moving. Over the weekend the annual Athy Triathlon took place.It is an interesting sporting event that involves ardous swimming,cycling and running-not meant for the faint hearted believe me. The athletes that however caught my eyes were the stragglers.. They were the ones lagging behind but not giving up. Slowly but surely making their way to the finish line. some were practically dragging their feet but refused to give up on the race. I noticed two ladies laughing and chatting along the way not mindful of others that speed past them. The fact is they were moving and not stuck at a spot.I also applaud them for participating in the game at all. The barrow river which was one of the hurdles looked muddy and smelly but they swam in it!! that must have been difficult.
It doesn't matter the length of the race but the joy and memories of the journey. There will be muddy and treacherous waters to cross,bumpy roads to cycle and uneven roads to walk but there is a crown of glory set before us if we do not faint.Heb 12:1-2."Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us". I recall with sadness the recent sucide attempt of model Naomi Lenoir


The 30-year-old, who has become a household name in the UK after spearheading an advertising campaign for Marks & Spencer, was found lying in a forest in La Celle-Saint-Cloud, on the outskirts of Paris.this is is a woman that the world is seemingly her oyster. When you make the mistake of taking your focus of God and unto your problems the outcome is disastrous.2 cor 3:5 "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God"
I have along the journey adopted an attitude of praise. I have reached inward and tapped into the the deposit of grace in my life. For every phase in life,there is a deposit of grace.Therefore, we cannot be overwhelmed by challenges no matter how dire it may seem.God has promised in Isaiah 54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you".God will always sustain us no matter the situation for His word is His will.
I don't compare myself with others no mater how far ahead in the race they might be. I might be slow but I'm not out.Like my friends in the just concluded Athy triathlon,it is a privilege to be in the race and hey,the crowd is still cheering.