run the race………

                     

                     

Today was Josiah’s first sports day. He loved it!!!

Anna and I stood proudly on the sidelines. Smiling and giving thumbs up signals, watching our little boy take another step forward into life.

They lined up, crouched as the Teacher yelled “on your marks” and then……mayhem!!!! They ran in different directions, different paces, looking at different reference points (their parents) – the finish line was merely a detail!!!

For Josiah it wasn’t the race that was important. It wasn’t competition or the placing in the race – it was who was watching. Josiah ran his little heart out FOR US. He looked across, smiled, enjoyed it and then looked in our direction again.

We are called to run a race – we have a race marked out for us and a prize for us to strain towards but…….. who is cheering us on is important.

We have many people who we are honoured to have cheering us on – young and old, rich and poor, close friendships and those we have only just met, well educated and illiterate. There are two people I think of especially as I write. We recently lost a dear friend who was one of the most encouraging men I have ever known – the reality is that he is still cheering us on from heaven – I can almost hear his encouragements!! The other is a dear friend who has recently returned to the UK. She is a constant joy, challenge, inspiration and encouragement to us – always fun but always cheering us on to to go deeper and further with Jesus.

Their cheers, and the cheers of others, have kept us going in ways that they will never know. Keep straining towards the prize – listen to the cheers of those around you.

But I would also ask you – Who are you cheering on?

posted by rich