Running is more than exercise. Lessons that I learned from running with a coach are these:
                                 
1. Your mind will give up faster than your body. That is true in my life too. My mind will try to trick me into thinking I am too tired, that I can't do this anymore that the finish line is too far ahead. But just as my body can keep going if the coach runs beside me or someone cheers me on, I can run the race set before me if I listen not to my mind, but to what I have been trained to. The coach will run beside me and he will be saying: "keep going, you have been training for this, your body can do it". I have to remember in my daily life, I have been trained and I am being trained by a great coach. And He knows what I can do, I must trust Him.

2. There is a wonderful climbing wall beside the running track, and sometimes (OK, every time) as I run, I get distracted watching kids climb the wall. It looks so neat, and so fun!. Every time the coach passes by me, he yells: "Norma! keep your eyes in the track!, keep your time!" . How true this is in my daily life. I need my husband, children, friends, family to keep reminding me to keep my eyes not on the distractions of this world, but in the race I am running.  I can lose time, I can lose my pace, I can even hurt myself. But that reminder from my coach or my friend, is of great value. I need people beside me, that will keep encouraging me and others in this race.

3.Every race is temporal. It always finishes, yet every time I go, is a training process. I battle with my mind as I struggle with thoughts of doubt whether or not I can finish it. But the struggle is good. I need the push, I need the pain because I grow stronger with it. But it will finish one day, and I will have my final crown, my final rest.

4. After a long run, we are supposed to run very slow to recover... not walking.. it must be a slow shuffle. Today I decided to walk for a bit. WRONG! The coach passed by and asked if I was OK, I said yes, and then he said: Then why are you walking? That is the way I am in my spiritual life. I should be recovering in a way that I am still in that race, but sometimes I decide to walk. I walk and I lose focus. I walk and I need people beside me checking if I am OK and if I am, then I need to continue on that same attitude and not walk. I need someone who says: What are you learning lately? What is it that the Lord is working in you? Are you being faithful in your prayer? Are you keeping your eyes on heaven? And maybe run along with me for a while, when I am finding it hard.

5. How encouraging is to run with others! It is much easy than getting up and going on my own. The same is true of my spiritual race. It is easier to run the race when I know I am not alone. There are other Christians running with me. Not right beside me, but with the same purpose. I see some pass by faster than me, others are slower, but we are all running. And as we pass our fellow Christians or they pass us, the words of encouragement are heard: Keep it up!, Keep going! You can do it! Don't give up! The finish line is closer!

6. When I am running, I rely on my own mind and strength. But in my christian life, is even better, because I rely on One who is strong. Who gives me the strength I need to finish, and One who runs by my side every moment. And even when I slow down and when I get tired, He has promised never to leave me nor forsake me. When I run, I could quit and nothing happens, but in the race towards heaven, I cannot quit, not because I will lose my salvation or because I am strong and I can, on my own merit, continue. But because it is the Lord who gives me the strength to continue. And I cannot quit, because He will not let me do so. All I am asked is to not give in to the games of my mind, and bring every thought captive to His Word.

7. There is a time when you are running that you start running on lactic acid (not that I do that often... OK.... maybe I have never ran on acid), but I know people who run seriously, they do. I am not there yet. But the point is, sometimes it will be harder that others, and you keep running... you do not stop because is hard. Yo keep up, you run, you beat your own time, you work at it with sweat and tears. But never forgetting that He is the one giving you the strength.. you could not run if it was not because of Him.

8. The feeling after a hard workout, is great! To know that is finished! .... Can you imagine the feeling when we get to the finish line to our Father's arms? I know for sure that the rest will be sweet. And then, when I receive the Reward in exchange will be a glorious day! The Reward? Jesus! Jesus is our reward!

And this is some that I have learned so far, I am sure there is much more I will learn as I run the race.

MY LIFE PERFECT!?.....
O no!! you must be my FB friend!.

On line, I have an identity, which yes, is pretty perfect. I post only, the romantic things my dear husband does for me (to have a small bragging party), post pictures of myself that look casual (after they have been carefully selected, and if the person standing beside me does not look its best... O, so sorry, it will be chopped or even better, posted still).

Some wrinkles?... LOL (after they passed the photo shop department!, You know? I like to trick myself into thinking I am not aging).

I post every time I bake, just to show what an awesome home maker I am. I love posting the fancy meals I make... (while I am making them! .. yes I am multi task , aren't you?). 

Charity works? Of course I do many!!, I write about them as soon as I can! You should all know very discretely how awesome I am. (my neighbour is in some kind of need?... I had no idea!... but let me first, tell you how great we did on our great charity "event").

 How I love commenting on others on how amazing, wise, obedient,... my kids are! (even when "real" people think other wise.... BUT  online, I can pretend I have a functional family!)

 I am, (or at least appear) very educated, well, yes, of curse I learned about the latest news on FB because someone else posted it  it before me, so I just did the good old: copy and paste.

You want to know how organized I am? What amazing home school activities and projects we do?, How an awesome wife I am? How busy I CAN be?... O, it is easy!, just see my posts, they are a constant reminder of me!

O yes, in real life, I have just a few friends, people avoid me, not sure why ... but on FB... I am very popular!, I have close to 2,000 friends!

I love commenting on other peoples post just so I can tell you something about me... I love the FB person I am!

Want to meet me in person? O boy! are you sure? I am afraid you will meet others  around me that know me... my neighbours, my church members, my husband, my children!! you might be disappointed, but worst even... You may know who I really am!

.... How real this is for many... May we be the same on line and offline. I hope that people that meet me online and offline, will have the same opinion of me.

Invitation or Command?

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” Christ declares in Matthew 11:28.

Is this an invitation of Christ? Well, only if you understand that an invitation from the King of kings comes as a command. An invitation to a birthday party of a friend you may accept or reject. An invitation from the Lord of heaven and earth is a command that you had better obey—or lose your life!

 It is, therefore, a command, without doubt. But it is couched in a way that, in the Lord’s command to come to Him with the burden of sin, He speaks tenderly and with infinite love, for He woos God’s elect to Him by sweet words. He knows how great the burden of the sin of His people can be. He knows how, crushed beneath their sin, they wonder whether God can possibly ever receive them. He knows that they are so ashamed that to come to Christ seems a boldness too great for an unworthy sinner.

 The words are calculated to give us courage, courage in Christ’s love for us, a love that is too great for us to comprehend. The Lord does not say to you and me, “Come to Me—or else.” His voice is not harsh and threatening. He comes in His love for poor, chastised, frightened sinners who know their sins make them unworthy even for Christ to take a quick glance in their direction. “Come to Me ... I fulfilled the law for you who cannot keep it. I will give you rest—rest in salvation by grace alone!” 

Prof. Hanko
                        

Matthew 25

                                                   

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

I love this passage of Scripture. I cannot read it without my mind going to that place. Without tears on my eyes and without that expectation of hearing the words of my Lord and my God. O, to be known by Him! To be blessed by the Creator of the world!

There are a few points that jump at me:

1. there is a kingdom prepared for His people before the creation of the world. Not for all, but for His people. Those who are blessed by the Father! What a beautiful picture of a perfect plan, of our names written in His book.

2. I find it interesting, how the righteous will ask: when did we do this Lord? (as if they don't remember, because they acted not for their own glory, but as a natural way to live...they lived out of what was in their hearts, so there was no record keeping of good deeds in their minds... but God recorded  those actions  in His book!). O precious Savior! May I forget what I do good and be reminded by You alone!

3. In contrast, the wicked, will say: when did we see you like that and did not help you? they did have a record of all their good deeds, they knew them and could "remind" the Holy God of their deeds. But they are not reminded of them. They acted also from what was in their hearts... their own glory!

O, to be known by God! Not that we know Him, but that He knows us!, not that we love Him, but that He loves us! what a blessed and sweet sound that will be, when we enter this kingdom of rest prepared for us before the foundation of the world.

My kindness shall not depart from thee (Is.54:10)

Lord, how is it that You can be so tender and indulgent to one so forgetful, so unworthy, so inexcusable as I am? And your answer is- 'My kindness, I have loved You with an everlasting love'. But Lord, I am a worse and greater sinner than I thought I was; every day reveals to me some hitherto undiscovered evil in my heart, which must be displeasing in Your sight. Again you say: 'My kindness, I have put away thy sin' But Lord, I have no power to do right, I cannot of myself even think a good thought, much less live that life of holiness which You command and require. And again You give me that sweet reply, 'My kindness, My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness' Oh! That I had a seraph's tongue to tell, or a pen dipped in praises of heaven to write, what his loving kindness and tender mercy have been to me!
Mrs. Spurgeon.