Perseverance was yet again on my heart today, as it was 7 years ago!…..and part of my devotional reading and writing from April 7, 2016 reminds me of it.
“Persevere and finish the race” my husband’s words as he arrived home from his Thursday morning men’s study/accountability group. A lesson they had discussed today from the book of Judges. Sometimes it is difficult to read the course. The signs are confusing, the path twists and turns. People along the way who are not in the race often provide confusion and distractions, and one feels so far behind the pack that the finish line seems impossible. I observed this when our Titus 2 ladies and I worked the Ironman Triathlon’s runners’ leg last year. It was the final part of the triathlon, begun late in the day by some. We were on utility vehicles helping monitor the progress of runners, pick up those that dropped out, and provide a sense of safety and encouragement to those who were bringing up the rear. It was well after midnight before the final runner crossed the line. I was amazed at the perseverance of those few at the end of the pack….Their feet were barely moving, their heads sometimes dropped in exhaustion, but they kept running…they were not running in competition with the others….they were finishing what they started. That was what drove them. That perseverance was celebrated by those waiting at the end with all the enthusiasm that had been poured out on those who finished first. Though there were fewer people there to celebrate with those who came in last, the ones who did showed that they, too, were willing to persevere and stay with the runners to the very end. It was a good lesson for the Titus 2 ladies and for me…….persevere and finish the race. The reward is still there. The personal joy in completing the race is still there. It doesn’t matter that others have left you behind or dropped out. You are not doing it for them, but for the joy of the victory that is defined by perseverance and finishing the race. “(4/7/2016 CBB)