Drafting
Hebrews 12: 1
...let us throw off anything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perserverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Remnants of this verse popped into my head the other day when I was trying to find my way back to a sense of peace I found at the ocean during a recent visit to Monterey.
While I was in Monterey, I relaxed into a peace and blissful warmth I had not experienced since childhood. Once you feel that kind of healthy relaxation you don't want to lose it. On the road back, when I got my first work related phone call of the weekend and felt all my nerve endings alert, I took a deep breath and tried to visualize the peaceful scenes and feelings I had just enjoyed. It worked. I was able to disengage from the problems of others and renew my inner balance. That's when bits and pieces of verses about "running races" began to emerge in my mind.
Once we find our direction and a healthy way of being, it takes concentrated effort to stay on course. It is kind of like running a "race". We get tired. We "hit the wall". The road levels out for a while. We think the rough patches will never end. The hills are steep. Other runners out pace us. And yet, the thing we are traveling too is so beautiful, whole and real that, if we can hold onto the memory of it, we want nothing else but to reach our destination. This longing for and memory of true Love, Joy and Peace can sustain us through any trial and give us the courage to persist in holding on to our sense of inner harmony/Love.
As I drove down the freeway, I mulled over anything I know about racing. I used to date a competitive bicyclist/triathelete and was his "handler" during some of the races. I remember he and his friend's discussion of "drafting" one day. It amazed me riders took turns riding in front of each other to block the wind or "draft" for their partner. He explained, it was a way to reduce fatigue and help the team ride faster. I guess competitors also use drafting in foot, car and horse racing as well. As I thought more about drafting, some people I'm praying for came to mind. I realized that pray is a kind of drafting. When we pray for others we are spiritually holding their hands, pulling them up, being a guiding light and, sometimes, we're drafting for them when they get tired and discouraged. The best thing is, like a team, we can take turns drafting for each other.
Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth - 1 John 3:18
...let us throw off anything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perserverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Remnants of this verse popped into my head the other day when I was trying to find my way back to a sense of peace I found at the ocean during a recent visit to Monterey.
While I was in Monterey, I relaxed into a peace and blissful warmth I had not experienced since childhood. Once you feel that kind of healthy relaxation you don't want to lose it. On the road back, when I got my first work related phone call of the weekend and felt all my nerve endings alert, I took a deep breath and tried to visualize the peaceful scenes and feelings I had just enjoyed. It worked. I was able to disengage from the problems of others and renew my inner balance. That's when bits and pieces of verses about "running races" began to emerge in my mind.
Once we find our direction and a healthy way of being, it takes concentrated effort to stay on course. It is kind of like running a "race". We get tired. We "hit the wall". The road levels out for a while. We think the rough patches will never end. The hills are steep. Other runners out pace us. And yet, the thing we are traveling too is so beautiful, whole and real that, if we can hold onto the memory of it, we want nothing else but to reach our destination. This longing for and memory of true Love, Joy and Peace can sustain us through any trial and give us the courage to persist in holding on to our sense of inner harmony/Love.
As I drove down the freeway, I mulled over anything I know about racing. I used to date a competitive bicyclist/triathelete and was his "handler" during some of the races. I remember he and his friend's discussion of "drafting" one day. It amazed me riders took turns riding in front of each other to block the wind or "draft" for their partner. He explained, it was a way to reduce fatigue and help the team ride faster. I guess competitors also use drafting in foot, car and horse racing as well. As I thought more about drafting, some people I'm praying for came to mind. I realized that pray is a kind of drafting. When we pray for others we are spiritually holding their hands, pulling them up, being a guiding light and, sometimes, we're drafting for them when they get tired and discouraged. The best thing is, like a team, we can take turns drafting for each other.
Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth - 1 John 3:18
posted by Michelle Coder | 12:03 AM
1 Comments:
Prayer is like drafting...What a great analogy!
Mom
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