This devotional first appeared in the print edition of the Kingsport Times News on Sunday, September 19, 2021. On a personal note, it's so good for me to get back to writing. Enjoy! And know that I'm praying for you today.
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When I was in Elementary school, my Dad picked up running. At first, it was laps around the neighborhood after dinner. Eventually he entered some races – 5k’s and 10k’s. After a few years, he progressed to longer events – half and full marathons. I tagged along when I could and watched when I couldn’t.
My problem as a kid was that I didn’t know how to pace myself. I ran as hard as I could until I was gassed (which didn’t take long), and then I collapsed. That works for short distances. It doesn’t work for marathons. Pacing means you moderate your effort throughout the event so that you can hit the finish line just as the tank is hitting empty.
As we moved into the summer, it felt like we were hitting the finish line of the Pandemic. And many of us had paced ourselves accordingly. As circumstances changed in the Spring, we adjusted our tempo so that we’d hit the finish line just with just enough fuel left to cross the line.
Then something really annoying happened. Just as we were rounding the last turn and entering the home stretch, it’s as though the finish line moved and we were told we had to run the entire course in reverse now.
This isn’t a perfect analogy, but for all of us who may have felt like the finish line has moved over the last few months, it can be incredibly tempting to throw in the towel. Do I get that! Pandemics and vaccines and masks and news – I’m over it. I wish it would all just go away and life would get back to normal. But ignoring problems doesn’t make them go away. Throwing in the towel won’t solve anything. It just means I won’t have a towel anymore.
Consider this instead: the night Jesus was arrested, he sat down to have a meal with his students and friends. John shares this with us: “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.” (John 13:3–4)
In the weeks ahead, the world will have plenty of people who will continue to throw in the towel. Don’t be one of them. Jesus knew who he was and whose he was. Because of that knowledge, Jesus picked up a towel and served his friends with great compassion.
The Good News is that we have the same Father as Jesus. We can have the same knowledge. And we can carry the same posture of service into our world. In a world of mobile finish lines, don’t throw in the towel. Pick it up instead. It won’t change everything around you, but it will change you. And a transformed you is the greatest gift you can offer our world.
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