ENDURANCE- Staying the course!

I am continuing my ponderings on a previous post regarding endurance and finishing well. In each of the 5k, 10k, and marathons I’ve run over the years they all had one thing in common- there was a marked course that you ran on and stayed on. You didn’t stray from the course or make your own, to do so meant disqualification.

There are those who have tried to cheat and been publicly humiliated when they were found out. One such case is Rosie Ruiz's "victory" in the 1980 Boston Marathon with a record time of 2:31:56. The real winner, Jacqueline Gareau of Canada, crossed the line in 2:34:28, but was essentially ignored by the media that flocked to interview Ruiz, who had crossed the line earlier. Apparently, Ruiz had dropped out of the race, hopped on the subway, got off about a mile from the finish line, and ran in from there. The effect was to rob Gareau of her moment of triumph, although she was later honored in a special ceremony a couple of weeks after the race. Second-place finisher Patti Lyons, whose 2:35:08 finish set a new American record, was also pretty much completely ignored.

Heb 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,… NKJV

NIV says, ‘let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.’

This tells me that each of us have our own race to run with the course marked out specifically for us. I think that means fulfilling the ‘Call’ of God for our lives.

Ken Sande of Peacemaker Ministries reports that every week, 1,500 pastors in the USA leave their assignments because of conflict, burnout or moral failure. I don’t know if those figures are correct and current now. But they speak to me what I am talking about- that is getting off course at some point and not completing the race (or Call) marked for us.

What has God called you to do?
Are you being faithful to that call?
Are you staying on the course?
Are you in danger of losing sight of that call?
Are you looking to do something else or to get on another course?

In another post I will discuss why I think ministers leave, get off course, or seek greener pastures (another church or ministry opportunity).

Until then, continue to stay the course!