Staying thirsty, my friends? You are one of most interesting people in the world

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, ...

-Hebrews 12:1 NIV

If you haven't heard it yet, you'll hear about it soon: The most interesting man in the world will become the most interesting man in two worlds. He's heading to Mars on a one-way trip.

Check out the commercial, then re-read the verse from Hebrews:

'Now faith is the assurance of ... "

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

-Hebrews 11:1

What is faith to you?

The writer of the New Testament book Hebrews - and we don't know with certainty who wrote it - knew his or her own answer.

So what do you hope for? Ultimately. In the short term, I hope to keep up this blog, to spend time with my family, to keep connected to my church, to ... . You get the idea.

But what do I really hope for? How about this: I hope to retain my conviction of things not seen. Faith gives the assurance that one day, those convictions will be seen.

'Same yesterday and today and forever'

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

-Hebrews 13:8

One of my favorite verses.When life hands you a struggle, it's good to remember.

He was with me in the past, when darkness surrounded me. He is with me today. He will be with me tomorrow, no matter what it brings.

No matter how life circumstances or the world will change, he'll be with you, too.

Running forward

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

-John 20:3-4

I feel for Peter for the moment depicted above. Yes, Peter ran slowly – I suppose he was the oldest, and people my age do eventually slow down.

But consider Peter's situation at the moment. In the previous mention of Peter in John's Gospel, he had betrayed Jesus not once, not twice, but three times - as predicted. Then, Jesus - his mentor, friend and Lord - was tortured and savagely killed.

Still, Peter ran. He ran forward that day and he ran forward to lead the rise of Christ followers. Peter ran forward despite his weakness and despair. And his acts echo to this day.

How many times do we face challenges? Stroke recovery, for example, can be a seemingly endless struggle.

With God's help, we can run forward.

There was a best-selling book a few years ago titled “Born to Run.” Are we all supposed to run? For some, it’s physically impossible. Some people don’t find it appealing at all. But we all can run forward with Christ. The author of Hebrews did not mean physical running when he wrote some of my favorite words:

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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

-Hebrews 12:1-2

Story of recovery and perseverance...

After reading this article about a Boise athlete not letting stroke keep him from his dreams,all I can say is - amazing recovery and an admirable example of determination. Reminds me of:

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, ...

 -Hebrews 12:1

An excerpt from the article:

That person is 34-year-old Justin Shields. The Four Summit Challenge will be the longest bike ride he’s ever done. For some, it may not seem like much of an accomplishment, but for Shields, it’s the culmination of years of hard work. In February 2008, a stroke would test Shields' limits, both physically and mentally. ...

Shields' recovery was long. He spent a month in the hospital, one week in the intensive care unit as well as countless hours in rehabilitation. He had to learn to do everything over again, from walking to talking.

“I didn't want to live without the use of my body, so that was really a motivating factor for me to continue on and overcome the obstacles,” said Shields.

But, Shields said some days are easier than others.

“There have been some bad days, I must admit, but for the most part I just look past them as I'll have to go through those periods of frustration in order to achieve my goal,” he said.

Two years after his stroke, Shields is once again working on realizing his dream of being an Ironman Triathlete.

'Let us fix our eyes on Jesus'

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.

-Hebrews 12:2

Today, we mark the day that changed everything. Today, we mark the day that saved our very souls. Today, we mark the day that sealed the defeat of death.

For today, we mark the day when followers found an open tomb. An open door for humanity. But specifically, an open door for you.

Today, on this resurrection day, celebrate that open door. Take the door. Go with him. He will always be with you.

From Korea 2006

Seeking God, seeking answers

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

-Hebrews 11:6

This month, I've posted a lot of items about Stroke Awareness Month. Awareness is a key to prevent strokes, get stroke patients help as soon as possible, and assist people who are recovering.

But as the author of Hebrews noted, God awareness is a lifelong occupation. So keep the faith - no matter what.



(Image from www.heartlight.org)

Running the daily race with perseverance

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. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

-Hebrews 12:1-3

"[L]et us run with perseverance" is good advice in all pursuits, but especially in pursuits of faith. But the writer of Hebrews didn't stop there - we need to have some goals and aims, too, so the writer added "the race marked out for us."

Photo below shows my recent finish, along with one of my daughters, of the Bass Pro Shops Conservation Marathon in Springfield, Mo. That was the race marked out that day. But one day - an actual race or not - is just a part of the entire races marked out for us all.

The "cloud of witnesses" the writer refers are all the historical figures who had come before, listed in Hebrews 11 as examples of lives that Christians should attempt to emulate, all designated as lives lived "by faith."

Stroke survivors, caregivers and loved ones often have difficult races marked out. Faith and the support of fellow believers can make a real difference. No surprise for those with faith, and for outside evidence, there's an American Heart Association article.

So, "by faith," are we running our races with perseverance, following the marks? And supporting those who are running the race of stroke recovery?

Running with the word

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12

For more than 20 years, I’ve been a dedicated distance runner. On any given Saturday morning, I’ll likely cover 10 miles or more. And for every mile, every yard, God is with me every step. As Hebrews noted, the word of God is active.

Prayer is always a part of my running routine. I’ve had some of my most personal conversations with God while pounding pavement on the streets or enjoying tree-covered trails. The scenery can vary – from watching the sun rise over Sydney Harbor to receiving quizzical stares on Chinese sidewalks to seeing a beautiful rainbow in Columbia, Mo. – but God’s active presence is always at hand.

If you run long enough, it’s not hard to wind up with a trophy or two. Mine sit on a shelf at home. The real prize, though, is God’s company. As sweat pours, as dirt grinds underfoot, God is not sitting on a shelf with manmade trophies. He goes with me.

Like many runners, I have a small mp3 player/FM tuner. Most of the time, it’s tuned to my daily NPR dose of news and current events – which often trigger prayers – but in the last few years, for Lent, I’ve downloaded recordings of books of the Bible from the local public library’s Web site and listened to the active word of God while running those miles.

For fellow stroke survivors, regardless of your level of physical ability, listening to God's active, living word might be just the encouragement you need.