Of all body exercises, jogging has never been my thing.
The fact that i have to abandon the comfort of my bed, forsake my 30minutes sleep has never been pleasant to me.
However, with this upcoming MTN marathon that my family would love to be part of, i kind of thought i should be part of it too. However for sometime i just resented the fact that i had to practice in preparation for it.
Considering my weight..i thought i could actually do without it. So after sometime of talking about jogging with my sister and after procrastinating for sometime we decided to do it.
Well for the start we run around the compound but my sister wanted more.
So that very morning inspired by my sister’s longing and determination to do this for her own fitness, i felt compelled deep within to actually run along side her to support her because she was counting on my support and partnership. So i stopped thinking about myself and decided to think about my sister. Nothing is always easy but all things are possible with God.
My sister and i wake up every morning and our challenge is a sloppy path at home that we have to tread, its not an easy one i must say.But every time i am jogging with my sister and having to encourage her to press on and not give up, and having to stop when she stops, so that together we can run again, telling her to push her body because she actually is a master over it i only envision Jesus walking beside me, with me each and every day and telling me Evelyn keep walking, keep running girl, dont give up on yourself. I envision him stopping when i stop and allowing me to relax and stretch my muscles and patiently waiting for me to press on to the very end of our race.I do believe my willingness to press on regardless of the discomfort, risk, pain and danger does keep him stuck to me because he knows deep within i am set and determined. He sees deeper into us
I do think Jesus does that for every one of us in our different races. He’s not in a rush to win or get to the other side and leave you behind..He wants to walk with me wherever i am at on my journey and he wants us to get to the end together.Sometimes He goes ahead of me and waits at the very end as he is cheering me on and is waiting to say well done you made it. Good job girl, i am so proud of you.I have found myself doing that with my sister. It has been a perfect reflection of Christ and I.
Christ has already gone before us and won the victory and yet He is still willing to help us on our journey. There are days when he does carry us when we cant press on anymore, we are tired and overwhelmed. Sometimes wounded he carries us and tends to us so that he can heal us and then we can move on. He’s the Lord my shepherd(Psalm 23).We never stay in one place though He’s not in a rush. He will wait. When he knows we have been in that place for long, he nudges us and stirs us up once again lest we get fat and lazy. hahaahah.
We just have to keep our sights on the finish line and as long as our hearts are set and we want to go there and we don’t want to remain in the comfort zone He’s right there.Just imagine Jesus after he has been exalted to the highest place by the father decided to sit and say, guys i proved to you that i could make it, so you have to do the same.
Keep your eyes on me and then you will make it…yes its true we will make it but yet even in all His glory, he didnt leave us without help.The Holy Spirit who is in us and with us. In addition to that He’s actually interceeding for for you and i before the Father(Heb 7: 25b) because He wants us to win and go be with him when its all over. How far we are willing to walk with Him, He’s right beside us, in our moments of weakness, moments of strength, moments of failure, He will never leave us nor forsake us.
I find myself asking the Holy Spirit to help us do our jogging every morning, asking Him to help us press on and not give up. I know He’s done that.
So he’s not having a ball up there, He’s calling out to us and cheering us on, sending all the help we need hoping our hearts are willing and are open to receive it.He sees conquerers, overcomers over the world in each and every one of us.The question is am i willing to get out of my comfort zone, am i willing to give up and lay down somethings that i hold so dear, am i willing to carry the cross and follow him- telling me to deny myself? Every glorious end has a bumpy road i believe. In the fulness of that glory though, the journey and all its pains do vanish. Before Christ gave up his Spirit, we read that his last words were it is finished. ( John 19:30) hmmmmm. When you look back at his life before that moment, He had both glorious and challenging moments and the final part of his journey- was tougher. Betrayed by one of his own, overwhelmed by the journey ahead of him and his inner circle couldn’t even stand with him in prayer for long, denial by Peter, being spat upon, hit and then the crown of thorns, the mockery, the insults from those that actually thought they knew better than Him, the weight of the cross and then the crucifixion. Today we are basking in His glory. Amen indeed. Sometimes the weight of our journeys does weight heavily on each one of us, that’s why we have Him and we need Him but we keep moving and pressing on. (2cor4:16-18).
My motivation to finally register for the marathon came one morning after jogging with my sister and i knew deep within i needed to be with my sister and support her to the very end. It’s not that i am better than her, i do need this too. I am growing and i wouldn’t have heard a better opportunity to learn great lessons in my life.
This is my confidence-He’s with me and He will never leave me nor forsake me. My willingness to walk with him will determine how far we go in this race.The truth is it’s not going to be an easy road but He’s going to be with us all the way to the end.
Wherever you are at, don’t give up, the anchor does hold though the ship is battered. You could be in the lowest of valleys, He’s right there with you, you could only be smelling death around you( 2cor 4:11-12), He’s been to the dead and He resurrected, He’s with you so place your hands in his, let him carry you, but don’t give up pressing on till you enter his glory.Remember also that He does send help along the way- receive it ![]()
We run to Him, we hide ourselves in Him not from Him for he does keep us safely in His hand( Isaiah51:16b)
blessings and love
(2cor 1:8-10,phil 3)