Run Now
Today’s Verse:
Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. ~2 Kings 4:26
Most people run. Some run out of necessity. An example is someone running to catch a bus before it departs. Some run for the exercise. They run to get their heart healthy, lose weight, and reduce fatty buildup in their blood. Some run competitively and for a living. Basketball players spend most of their time on the court running. Football players run the ball to score a touchdown. In our devotion this morning, the prophet Elisha told his servant trainee, “Run now.” Let us see the spiritual reasons we must run now.
We must run in person.
Paul said, “Let us run”. Ahimaaz told Joab, “Let me run.” We must run individually. All of us have our own personal race that we are running for God. We run alone. We run against competition. We run where there are obstacles. Someone else cannot run for you: you must run in-person. Christian friend, you are in a race that only you can run.
We must run with patience.
Running is an endurance exercise. Up until the last year, running was one of my least favorite exercises. The main reason was that it requires patience. If you do not focus, you become mentally tired and drained and you feel like quitting in the early stages. Running with patience requires a deliberate mindset to finish the race. It requires the runner to pace himself and not wear himself out too early in his running. Long-distance runners have great endurance because they focus on the next step, the next mile, and what it takes to finish. The Christian life is accomplished and successful when we approach it like a runner running his race.
We must run with power.
“For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall” (Psalm 18:29). I have watched football games where very strong running backs or tight ends have carried a football and run through several defenders who have tried to stop them. David is describing the man of faith. God’s power in his life enables him to run through a troop. A troop is company of men that is in the way. When our running is in the Spirit, God enables us to run through our obstacles and problems. Instead of being run over, we run through them. Running the race God has set before us gives us unusual capacity and power for victory. We can ascend mountains and keep running. We can descend mountains and, like Elijah, run to overtake our adversaries.
We must run for the prize.
Paul said, “I have finished my course.” Paul ran his race to finish first and finish well. His sight was on the stephanos, or crown, that is given to every victor. We have a purpose in running the Christian race. There is a prize for being faithful. There is a prize for not disqualifying ourselves. After a grueling race, there is a prize that awaits us.
We must run. We must run now. Run now with the good news of the gospel to sinners who need salvation. Run now because the King’s business requireth haste. Run now because the time is at hand. Run now because we have a lot of distance still to cover. This morning, ask God to give you a runner’s heart and mindset, and run now!
Have a runner’s God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Micah 5-7