We ran...

Joshua and Dad in the End Zone before the Big Race!

Julie was out of town yesterday at a conference on Sports injuries. I dropped Faith off at gymnastics at 4:00. I would pick her back up in one hour.

That gave Joshua and me one free hour to do whatever we wanted. We drove over to the University of Dubuque. I thought that there was a Women's Tennis match going on at that time. I was wrong.

We walked over to the empty, spacious Spartan football field.
We moseyed on over to the 20 yard line and then it happened.

"Let the games begin!!"

Joshua stopped.
I stopped.
We both knowingly looked at each other.
He's eight years old.
I am not!

I knew what was coming next...
Joshua did not disappoint.
"Wanna race?"

And we did.
From the 20 to the 50 yard line...we ran.  Joshua beat me by two yards.
From the 50 to the goal line... we ran. I knocked Joshua over so that I had a chance. He still won.

And then we walked and hit the tackling dummies and watched the softball team pick up ground balls and throw them into an empty net at first base and watched a guy shoot lacrosse balls into an empty net and watched baseball players squat down to pick up a baseball that was just sitting on the dirt.

Then it was time to go.
But first!
One last race...
From goal line to goal line... 100 yards.

We took our places behind the white stripe in front of an empty stadium crowd and Joshua yelled out... "On your mark. Get set. GO!"
And we were off...
And we ran...
And we ran...
And we ran...

My iWitness...

Running is a popular theme in the Bible.

In the parable of the Prodigal Son it is the Father who runs to the son who is returning to the loving arms of the Father. Please remember how shocking this story would have been to the first century listeners - Middle Eastern men of that time - don't run!

In one of the accounts of the resurrection of Jesus, Mary tells the disciples that Jesus is risen and John and Peter run to the empty tomb with John winning the race (Yet, Peter runs into the tomb first).

In the book of Acts (chapter 8) Philip is told to go South. Upon going South he sees a man who has questions about God. Philip runs up to the man.

And then there's Paul.
I have no doubt Paul was a stud! Four sport varsity star who pummeled, raced and beat out everyone in whatever the competition might have been. What man could have withstood the beatings he did and then get thrown out of town only to dust himself off and then head back into the fray.

Paul passionately writes about running toward the goal.
We press on...
We persevere...
We push...
We run to win the race.
We run to get the prize.

And then Paul gets ready to hit the tape himself at the finish line of life.
He knows he is going to die.
He knows his time has come.
He has dodged the proverbial bullet time and time again.
But now he knows...
And so he writes to his dear friend Timothy some of the most poignant verses known to us in the scriptures...They are probably Paul's last words on parchment...

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing." (2 Timothy 4. 6-8)

Joshua and I ran the 100 yard race before us...
It felt so freeing to run, to race, to reach, to press, to push, to persevere through the 100 yard dash.
Joshua and I will do a lot of things in life together...
As for yesterday... let it be known...
We ran!

At the end of the day...
At the end of the year...
At the end of our lives...
May we be able to say with Paul...
We fought!
We kept!
And...
We ran!

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!

ps - Joshua couldn't believe that his dad that is half a century in age could run 100 yards faster than him!

One last thought - It would be a great idea to read the book of Philippians for more on "running."