Thursday, February 10, 2011
I've never run a complete marathon. I have run a half marathon and a lot of 10 k races, but never a full marathon. I was blown away reading about Steefan Engels. He's a Belgian runner who just set a world record running 365 marathons in 365 days! You read that right. A marathon a day for a whole year. Engels has covered 9,569 miles on foot since setting off from his hometown of Ghent on Feb. 5, 2010. But the 49-year-old is keen to play down his remarkable achievement. "I don't regard my marathon year as torture. It is more like a regular job. I am running just as Joe Average goes to work on Monday morning, whether or not he feels like it." Engels stated that there were days he didn't feel like running 26 miles (no kidding), but he focused and persevered. I will include a link at the end of the blog so you can read this amazing story.
This not only inspires me to exercise, but more importantly, it inspires me to run my spiritual race with more intensity.
Hebrews 12: 1-2, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Here are some lessons for running well that all of us need to run the race marked out for us.
First, we need to unload the baggage, getting rid of things in our lives that distract us from the business of living for Christ.
Second, we must shed the sin which blocks our fellowship with Christ and disqualifies us from the race.
Third, we must stay at it, running with a commitment to hang in there when it gets tough and finish the race. Like Steefan Engels, there are days we don't want to run, we don't feel like running. But get up and run anyway with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
I've been inspired to run with a little more intensity. I hope you have too.
Read the article about Steefan Engle 365 marathons in 365 days
Let us run with perseverance,
Pastor Tim
This not only inspires me to exercise, but more importantly, it inspires me to run my spiritual race with more intensity.
Hebrews 12: 1-2, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Here are some lessons for running well that all of us need to run the race marked out for us.
First, we need to unload the baggage, getting rid of things in our lives that distract us from the business of living for Christ.
Second, we must shed the sin which blocks our fellowship with Christ and disqualifies us from the race.
Third, we must stay at it, running with a commitment to hang in there when it gets tough and finish the race. Like Steefan Engels, there are days we don't want to run, we don't feel like running. But get up and run anyway with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
I've been inspired to run with a little more intensity. I hope you have too.
Read the article about Steefan Engle 365 marathons in 365 days
Let us run with perseverance,
Pastor Tim
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