5:42 – 3 Runs (and then some)

#faithbites #faithjourney runs

Intro

Last night, our family was watching Snowboarding (Half Pipe) at the Winter Olympics. Unlike many events where either you have one chance to perform or your score consists of the best two out of three attempts, in snowboarding who get three runs and only the best one counts. Doesn’t matter if it’s the first or last run, the best matters.

Yesterday:a events showed that even your best runs may not be what counts and peopel remember. Shaun White, father of snowboarding and 20+ year competitor, not only failed to get a medal, but fell on his last run. Guess what? No one cared as they celebrated his lifetime of work. Kaishu Hirano, from Japan, set a new world record for height 24′ 4′ and still fell at the end of his run. Again, no medal and his runs overall didn’t give high scores, but he will be remembered for that achievement.

Questions

• How are you looking at your runs in life?
• How do you think God sees them?
• What can we learn from the Olympics on how we should view both ours and others runs?

Scripture

• Romans 5:3-5 – More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
• Proverbs 24:16 – For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
• Jude 1:24 – To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—

Reflection

All of us have had some great runs and runs we’d rather forget. After this week, I know how some of the Olympians feel after failing to land a trick. How in your head you may see that replay going on over Nad over, but God has forgotten them, just as the Olympics are celebrating Shaun White and Kaishu Hirano’s achievements.

We all stumble and fall. The Bible says the righteous fall 7 times and still get up, I think mine is 7 x 7 x 7, but through christ we are forgiven. The wonderful thing is God sees our lifetime of faith and service and loves us. I was blessed this week, that even though I had a few dialed runs, that my friends knew my history of achievements (love, respect, and understanding) and forgsv eme and celebrate me. That is the power of Christ.

As w enclose, remember your indidivudal runs aren’t what matter. It’s asking for forgiveness, having faith in Jesus, and looking at the whole picture.

Prayer

Lord GGod thank you giving us examples to illustrate your love and forgiveness. Sometimes we get fixated on our failures and don’t look at everything we’ve done through you. You forgive us, love us, and see us white as snow thanks to your Son. Help us move beyond our failed runs and focus on our work, serving you, loving you, and loving our neighbors. We pray this in your name, Amen..