So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. Hebrews 12:1-2a
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 1 Timothy 4:7
Every day, my news feed seems to have new information about how much I should exercise or what I should eat to be healthy and live a long life. Some of the reports are contradictory, and most of them seem hard to stick with. Just how much do I need to exercise, and how do I fit it in a busy life?
The reality is, many of us have the same questions about our faith life. How much do I need to pray? How much do I need to go to worship? How much “serving my neighbor” do I need to do?
Then I can add in shame and guilt, and I can really be feeling a burden of not measuring up to expectations.
So what is the benchmark? What are God’s expectations?
In the two Bible readings I highlight today, we see that each of us has a race laid out for us by God. None of us are running the same race – we each have different spiritual gifts and interests and resources. God wants us to run our own race, not the race of the person next to us. Running a race also requires commitment and endurance and preparation.
God’s training plan for a healthy spiritual life:
1) Worship 1x/Week: Spend time with God each week. Jesus worshiped every week.
2) Group Life 1x Week or Bi-Weekly: Spend time learning and serving with other believers. Think of this as the training so you are ready for your race. Be part of a group that meets weekly or every other week for an hour to study and serve others. Jesus met with small groups to encourage and support each other while learning and serving others.
3) Give: Take a portion of your income and give it to others. Share resources so everyone in our community has enough. Jesus encouraged people to give a little more than was comfortable.
4) Share: Share your faith with others. Tell your story of how you connect with God. Let people see your faith in your actions daily. Can people see Jesus in you?
In each phase of our lives, how we do this recipe might change. When I was a young mom, my ‘group life’ included my kids. I read a kid’s Bible daily and prayed with my kids, and we volunteered together in the community. With my kids grown and gone, sometimes I am in an intensive Bible study, sometimes I read a lighter book with a group of friends, sometimes I take a spiritual trip to get away from busy-ness and focus.
With the race God sets before us, we need to train, and we need to commit to races. It doesn’t matter if we are trying a spiritual version of a 5K or a marathon – what matters is we create space for God in our lives on a regular basis. Sometimes we run on a beach with kids and grandkids, sometimes we try a big-city marathon. We show up for God, and with God, and our neighbors see God in us.
Run the race God gives you. With faith and commitment you will finish strong. Amen.
Pastor Anna-Lisa Hunter
January 24, 2024
At a 10K trail race with my daughter, May 2024.