As many of you know, I ran a triathlon last weekend.  Jim Thames posed a question today in our study of Jonah, "What makes you run?"  Although the question was referring back to Jonah running from God, it made me think about why I run.

Why do I run?  Well, at first I ran because of a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (i.e. think of it as a precursor to diabetes).  It worked for the time, I lost about 50 pounds, but then jumped up 30, down 15, etc.

Two years ago, Dane threw up the first triathlon challenge at the church.  It spurred my interest due to my fluctuating weight and lack of interest in regular work outs.

I've enjoyed opporunity for group training since that time and Dane also introduced those of us in that 2008 group to Tri4Him, a Christian triathlon club.  Tri4Him changed my focus from running for myself to running for God.  Every time I train and every time I race, I am mindful that my work is to the glory of God and not myself.  In fact, I now race in a Tri4Him uniform, which is a great reminder of just that.

Encouragement from my last race.  As I have trained over the last few months, my focus has admittedly been more on me and less on God.  Even though I recognized this, I was not able to put God in the forefront.

As I was at the race with other friends/teammates from Tri4Him, I felt nervous, more so than I did at my first race.  I knew my focus still was not right.  Three of us began to pray before the race, and as usual we prayed that we would be salt and light in the race.  An oler gentlemen, not a Tri4Him member joined us in the middle of our prayer and thanked us.  Unfortunately, my mind was still not in the right place.

My swim felt great.  Many of you know, I invested in a new bicycle (my Christmas present from Kelli, the kids and my present for the next several special occassions).  I pushed hard on the bike, and felt like I had likely set a per.sonal record on bike time.  I got off the bike and I felt disaster, my legs were quivering like jello.  I had pushed too hard.

Well, my run felt slow, but I pushed myself.  Now my prayers finally began in earnest.  God let me keep my pace, shine for you.  God, all I want to do is walk, I can't do this on my own power.  God keep me strong as a witness for you.  I finished the race in 5th in my group.  My transitions were slow, my focus was not right, and I knew it.  So, later that afternoon I checked my time splits.  Swim was disappointingly average.  Bike was second fastest in my group, but well slower than previous best times.  My run was a personal record!

Just as Paul writes, "I am weakest when I am strongest and I am strongest when I am weakest."  Most importantly, I was reminded last weekend why I run.  I do it to be salt and light for the Lord.  God grabbed my attention and brought my focus back to him.  In fact my run was not My personal record, but His record through me.

So humbly, I write this to each of you to encourage you to run the race.  Not for you,but for Him.  No matter how good you could be, how good you are or how hard it may be, we all have an opportunity to shine for the Lord.  Let us come together to put God in front, allow God to work in us and and use us for His gain.

In Him,

John