Free Running

Not your ordinary December run yesterday.  I was not able to run yesterday morning so If I was going to run it would be after work in the dark or on the treadmill.  When I got home at 7:00 PM the temp out side was 67 degrees.  WOW.  So I put on my shorts, short sleeve shirt and my light and headed outside.  I can't remember a December run in shorts before.  It was enjoyable.  It was also enjoyable because it was a "free run".  I use the term free run when I don't look at my watch, run easy and I don't have any particular route that I am running.  I like doing this sometimes because it is basic and easy.  Free running helps me remember that I like running.  It takes any pressure or work out of the run.

As I was enjoying my free run I started to think of the freedom we have with Christ.  It seems like an oxymoron when we say that giving our lives over to Jesus brings freedom, but that is what happens.  With Christ I have the freedom to live without guilt or shame.  I know that I can go through life and feel free from the lust of the world.   I greatly enjoy the freedom I have with Jesus.

* New song in playlist - MercyMe/Shake

God Running

Summertime has definitely left us.  I had an early morning run today.  As usual I had my cross around my neck but today I had a bit more with me.  I wore a hat and gloves today.  40 degrees as I left my house and a brisk wind added up to the first windchill of the year.  It was 32.

Today while I was running I thought about the parable of the Prodigal son found in Luke chapter 15.  I was fortunate to came across a blog last week that I am really interested in.  It is by Kurt Bennett and is entitled GOD Running.  Click here to visit his site.  His site is not about man and his worldly per-suite of running.  His site is about God running to us!  What a great thought.  As many times as I have read the parable I have never thought about it those terms.  In the parable Jesus makes an analogy of God being the father and us being the prodigal son when we give our lives to him.  In the story the father runs to his son once he sees him coming.  Think about it in personal terms.  Think about coming humbly to God and that he is the loving Father running to you.  Wow.  I will let you read it how Kurt expresses it in his blog.

There’s only one place in the bible where we see God running.

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” ~Jesus Christ, Luke 15:20 (NLT)

Maybe you think of God as a stern faced old man who likes to make rules and is filled with judgement, well that’s not at all who God is. God is for you. He wants you to do well.

He is on your side.

If you want to know what God is really like, learn about Jesus. Philip once said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” And Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?” (John 14:8-9)

So to learn what God is really like, learn what Jesus Christ is really like. Start with the gospel of John, then read Matthew, Mark, and Luke. You’ll be surprised at the true nature of God.

God tells us if you or I draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. (James 4:8) So draw near, and experience God running in your own life. He’s waiting for you. He’s watching for when you begin to move toward Him. And while you are still a long way off, He’ll see you, and become filled with compassion. He’ll run to you and embrace you.

Go to Him.

Maybe you have wandered away like the prodigal son. Maybe like the prodigal you’re starving right now, spiritually malnourished. Maybe like the prodigal you’ve finally come to yourself and realized life with faith in your Father and His Son Jesus Christ is more fulfilling than life without. Maybe you realize the source of your disillusionment is you put too much stock in expecting others to live up to expectations God has for you. Maybe now you’re ready to focus on what God has for you, instead of what others should be doing for God.

Pray right now, tell Him you’re coming. Ask Him to run to you as He did for the prodigal. Let Him feed you, find a way to regularly study God’s words from His scriptures. Go to His house and enjoy Christian community.

God’s waiting.

He’ll celebrate your return.

I pray that you will see God running to you.

#New song on my playlist - Chris Tomlin/I will follow

Running with Determination

For a Saturday it was an early start.  I had my alarm set for 6:45 but thankfully I woke up at 6:00.  When planning my run the night before I forgot that I needed to put out Gatorade since I was doing a long run.  I got up and had a can of chicken noodle soup and 16 ounces of GNC endurance formula.  After putting out some fluids I made it home and stretched and was starting my run at 7:00.  After a few miles I had this view.

It was a long run so I had plenty of time for prayer and meditation.  I thought about how my morning started and how the thought crossed my mind to stay in bed.  I had plenty of excuses: I was up late the night before, my bed was warm, it was dark outside, I could take a day off.  But I had decided to run.  I had determined my path and I knew what I had to do.  And so it is with Jesus.  I have decided to follow Jesus.  I must not be deterred.  Galatians 5:7 says, You were running a good race.  Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?  We must keep running and not let anything keep us from the truth.  

Once we have determined that we are going to follow Jesus we must stay on our path.  The first step may be the most important but after that all of the steps have equal value.  During my run today I counted my steps for a half mile.  I took about 625 steps during that 1/2 mile.  That would have been 16,150 steps today and none more important than the other.  In our run with Christ we must be focused on every step so that we will not be deterred from the truth.

Morning Geese

# New song in my playlist - Newsboys/Live with Abandon.

Running Easy with God

Easy running today.  Spent time praying for the people in my life and thanking God for all he has done for me.  Still wanting to present myself as a living sacrifice each day.  That is the prayer I have been challenged to make each day.  I am trying to stay open minded and see the beauty in the world around me.

More Living Water

I found a great link to an article about running with God.  It gives a specific prayer model to use while you are running.  I usually don't have a specific prayer model but try to stay open to Gods leading.  I think for each person they should fined what works for them.

# New song in my playlist - Stay Strong / Newsboys

Talk to you later and keep Running with God