Winning God’s race

24th January 2019
 

   
Ruth Tong urges us to consider what actually constitutes winning when we run God’s race of life

Luke 9:25 ‘what good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit his very self’?
 
In 1976, during the Washington Special Olympics, a group of special needs children set out to run the 100 metres race. Upon hearing the starting gun, they all began with exuberance to take on the whole huge experience of running along the asphalt
 
About halfway along, one boy tripped and tumbled a few times before landing in a heap crying. Another runner, a girl with Downs Syndrome, stopped and gave the boy a kiss to make it better. Another child also turned back and gave the injured boy a hug. The children then walked with their fallen friend to the finish line. While they didn’t win the race, they did win hearts, and the event is still talked about today
 
The bible compares life to a race, telling us to set our face towards the finish line, to be focused and undistracted as we press on; but if we miss those hurting as we run we’ve kind of missed the point of our existence. The children in the race were not interested in the glory or honour of a big finish. They were interested in each other
 
I wonder if God is waiting to see if we’ll get down on our knees and hug the hurt of this world so that the glory is His?
 
‘Father sorry for the times I’ve been so caught up in the moment I’ve missed a divine opportunity to hug a hurt’

The above image is courtesy of www.pixabay.com

this article also appeared on Network Norfolk and is used with permission
 

Ruth Tong is the Coordinator of Women’s Ministries at Eternity Downham Market, and is the author of ‘Love Drops from Heaven’.  Ruth regularly blogs at ruthtong.com/blog
 
 

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