The Loose Ends

Yesterday, feeling the aches of the aggressive run two days prior, I made it out by 6:35am. It seems like anytime I push beyond the comfortable, I am disproportionately blessed. And yesterday’s morning run was no exception: clear skies with a modest 3mph north breeze, a temperature of 20F that felt like 28 higher, a hushed stillness only interrupted by the occasional bird announcing the beautiful, awakening day. These are good runs for weighing out the “loose ends” in my life. It is time to pray through this issue and that, to praise God for His unstoppable love for me and my family and friends, to lift up brothers and sisters facing steep challenges on the Calvary road, to visit a thousand and one occasions lifting my voice in profound gratitude. This is a time for worship. Beneath the sacred firmament above, beginning with the stars fading in the morning light to the approaching glories of the sunrise, I can always find my Savior’s thoughts mingling with my meditations. It is time to wait on Him and listen.

I reversed my overall path from about a week ago, and covered 15.7 miles in 3 hours and 3 minutes. Although not a quick pace by any measure, I felt good about it. I faded in the last several miles, and I’m guessing I needed a little more fuel along the way. I’ll adjust that and see what happens. This route has 1608 feet ascending and 1568 descending, so given the length it is largely a flat course. I like it for basic conditioning.

Drawing from my own devotions yesterday, here are two companion verses that capture my experience on yesterday morning’s run.

We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds. [Psalm 75:1]

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. [Mark 1:35]

As I made my way along yesterday morning, I was reignited with a fresh passion for Him. Sometimes just being quiet before Him can transform how we are walking and dreaming. I felt like I set my sails anew toward my heavenly home, pursuing the pearl of great price, the treasure hidden in the field that Jesus spoke about. Oh, there is work involved, hard work. But with His strength I will run this race. I’m in this for a lifetime. I have a lifetime of sunrises, and early mornings, and heavenly musing with the Lord. I have a lifetime of praising Him and magnifying His name. If you want, you can come along. We can run together on this Calvary road. Let’s run strong and true. I’ll be looking for you down the trail.