Parents, we’re now in an ultra-marathon. Fifteen or so years ago, when I served a church in Nashville, Anita Grossmann McGinnis decided she wanted to run the Country Music Half Marathon, now called the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon. We have a friend, Dennis Freeman, who is a distance runner, who generously set up a plan to help her train for this 13.1 mile run. Anita diligently trained whenever the schedule said to train and she rested whenever it said rest. Some days when she trained, I would put the kids, who were aged 4-8 in the truck and drive in front of her for a few blocks so they could cheer her on. Many days though, it was just her and the road. Finally the day came for her to run… She and about 10,000 runners, including my sister, Angela Wampler, went to the starting line before the sun was up… I took the kids a little later, so we could see them and join the amazing crowds there to cheer the runners on. The race route also had live bands playing at certain points, who gave even more encouragement to the runners. Anita completed the run with a good time and received a medal to commemorate the accomplishment. We were all so proud of her hard work and we celebrated her finish. The friend who had helped Anita, was an ultra-marathoner. Anything over 26.2 miles is considered an ultra-marathon… He would sometimes run more than 80 miles. They say that Ultras don’t usually have large crowds to cheer them on, not as many runners, it’s a lonelier race… you and the road or sometimes the trail. Much respect to you runner people… I now only run if I have to.
This pandemic is beginning to seem more like an Ultra-marathon, a lot longer, potentially more lonely, and seems like it may never end. There will be a temptation to lose hope, to lose our way, to lose our faith, to compromise who we are in Jesus. One of the things that stuck with me as my kids and I watched and waited for Anita to run past us, was that the runners were cheering each other on too, not just the organizers, volunteers, friends and family, and musicians along the route. At this point, though none of us signed up for this ultra-marathon, it seems we are ALL doing this thing together… We have to cheer each other on... but wearing a mask and staying six feet apart.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that there is a “great cloud of witnesses,” who have endured the hardships of this world and kept the Faith, who are watching and cheering us on toward Jesus through our hardships. He says, “With so many witnesses in a great cloud all around us, we too, then, should throw off everything that weighs us down and the sin that clings so closely, and with perseverance keep running in the race which lies ahead of us.” Hebrews 12:1 (NJB) Anita says that she never realized how much of a boost of adrenaline she would get from the cheers of the spectators who were urging her to finish well when she was beginning to tire. Remember, there is a cloud of witnesses who have been there... and are now here, even if not seen, who are cheering us on. So, keep running, keep encouraging others around you. Jesus is not only celebrating with us at the finish line, He and those who follow Him cheer us all along the way... They are running right along with us, but much closer than six feet.
Hang in there People! God is with us! I’m praying for you all!
