Running the Race With the Power of God

I don’t know about you, but I have been feeling a bit weary for the past few weeks. It may be out of the realization that the new normal due to COVID-19 would continue on for longer than anticipated. Although we are entering into stage three of reopening as a province, I see that there is still a sense of uncertainty about the future and uneasiness about resuming our what-used-to-be regular activities. When it comes to church ministry, our Sunday gathering is not what it used to be. Then there are questions about how we are to do discipleship in small groups, and how to do missions. In one sense it’s an exciting time to be creative and pave a new way of doing life and ministry together as a church. But it is not without extra work to figure things out. There are many things to consider, adjust and change. And honestly, I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with so many things to consider, adjust and change and then to do that all over again. I hear that some of you have also been feeling overwhelmed and weary as well. I pray for a renewal of our spirit and strength, as we look to Christ who is the founder and perfector of our faith.

This week in one of my devos, I was reminded of the line in Jeremiah 12:5 where God exhorts and encourages the prophet Jeremiah, “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?” Jeremiah was worn down by the opposition and even absorbed in self-pity. He was tempted to abandon his unique calling from God and settle with the status quo. It was at that critical moment he heard the reprimand of God in 12:5: “If you have raced men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?” God is asking: Are you going to live cautiously or courageously? If you are fatigued by these run-of-the mill mediocrities, what will you do when the real race starts—the race with the swift and determined horses of power? I was reminded that I need to take a deep breath, re-focus towards the end line, and pace myself to run this race of faith with perseverance. 

And to run this race with perseverance we need the power from above. The most fundamental training we need in order to run this race with perseverance and power is being in the Word and praying in the Spirit. For me it is the morning hours with the Lord in the Word by which I am empowered to run the race of faith. Some morning I rush to just read the section of the Bible in the reading plan and move one. If I don’t allow myself to be refueled with God’s word and the Spirit, slowly but surely, I grow weary. I need to make sure that I am filled with the fresh word of God regularly and consistently. It is also when I get to pray with others that I feel empowered to run the race of faith together with other runners with the same focus and goal. (It was great to gather virtually past Friday evening to do just that: pray together and be empowered by the Spirit of God). That’s what we see in the book of Acts. There I see how the promised Holy Spirit comes in power to the disciples who gather together and pray. The Spirit-empowered disciples are then emboldened to speak the word of God. And the disciples are multiplied and the churches are built. And all that under persecution and many other challenges. They don’t allow the circumstances to dictate how they live. They are led by the Spirit to live a life that is marked with a supernatural difference because of their faith in the resurrected Christ. They don’t live cautiously but courageously. They don’t live recklessly, but they do live radically. Oh, Lord, help us to live courageously and radically!

I pray that you will be in the word and be empowered by the Spirit. I pray that you will take heed to your own soul without a compromise. I pray that you will keep close communion with God from whom the life and power flows. Robert Murray McCheyne (whose Bible Reading Plan we are using this year) said this: "The greatest need of my people — is my personal holiness. Take heed to yourself. Your own soul is your first and greatest care. Keep up close communion with God. Study likeness to Him in all things." We have started reading Judges this weekend from our Old Testament reading and we will continue on with the New Testament reading from the book of Acts. I pray that you will be empowered by the Spirit and the Word to run this race of faith with renewed passion and zeal. For those of you who need more guidance and accountability, please let me know. I would love to help out in any way in your race. For those of you who want to pray together, please join our weekly Saturday morning prayer meetings. If you need a prayer, please let the pastoral team or the intercessory team know and we will pray with you and for you.

May we be empowered by the Spirit to run this race together for the glory of God.