One of my favorite activities during the summer mostly at family reunions were 3 legged races. How many of you have ever been in a 3 legged race??? Usually you are paired up in similar teams or an adult/child team. Watching a 3 legged race you would think it seeems easy but when you actually put yourself in the competition you quickly find its harder than it looks. Most of the time before the race is over the stronger person of the pair is carrying the other person across the finish line in exhaustion. Let me explain how 3 legged races work for those who need a refresher, what happens is two participants attempt to complete a short sprint with the left leg of one runner strapped to the right leg of another runner. The object is for the partners to run together without falling over, and beat the other contestants to the finish line. Sounds simple right??? Well the tricky part comes in when one persons weak leg is tied to the other persons strong leg.
I think we live our lives each day in the midst of a giant 3 legged race. We represent the weak leg and side of the team and God represents the strong side and we are held together by the love Christ has for us. A love so strong that regardless of how long or tough the race is the pressure will never allow us to break free from the ties between us. We may stumble along the race to the finish line but we will not fall over because God our teamate will always be there to lift us back to our feet. There may even be times where exhaustion overtakes us and instead of hobbling along God will pick us up and carry us across to the end of our journey.
Hebrews 12:1-3 (AMP) "Let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds."
The journey may be tough but can you imagine for a second running the race of a lifetime when something comes along on your path as a distraction and you are so tired and weak that all you want to do is give up and throw in the towel when like a parent does to a child, God reaches down, picks us up and wraps His arms tightly around us as He continues on with the race with giant strides, carrying the weight of our weaknesses to the finish.
Whatever burdens you are carrying as you run the race each day know that Christ is right beside you fighting the battle with you. When you have no strength left you can call upon His name and He will help you to the finish or pick you up and carry you when you dont have one ounce of strength left on your own. Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls."
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