Faithbase

Well, hey, Faith Base, good morning. Hope everybody is doing well. I'm back in my spot, but I haven't yet been able to get back on my treadmill. I'm still working through this foot injury. And that's troubling for me, because I like running. That's part of my process. And I thought I'd share a little bit about that with you this morning, because I think not only is it a great physical exercise, but it's also a good metaphor that can hopefully inspire us and maybe encourage us in our faith, right? In running, we oftentimes face challenges and obstacles that absolutely require perseverance and determination. I think very similar to that in our spiritual journey, we encounter difficult situations and trials that test our faith. And the Apostle Paul beautifully captures this idea in Hebrews 12, verses 1 and 2, where he encourages us by saying, let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, who is the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith. Just as a runner focuses on the finish line to stay motivated, we are called as disciples to fix our eyes on Jesus. He is our ultimate source of strength. He is our ultimate source of hope. He's our ultimate source of encouragement. And when we feel weary or when we are discouraged, we need to remember Jesus is with us every step of the way, cheering us on, empowering us on, guiding us on. I think one of the most comforting verses for runners and believers alike is found in Isaiah chapter 40 and verse 31, which says this, those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint. I love that verse because it reminds us that when we put our trust in the Lord and find our hope in Him, He will grant to us the strength we need to run this race of life that we're on. And so as we kind of wrap up that thought, as we look toward the day, I want to encourage you to remember that running can be a powerful reminder of our spiritual journey. It's used oftentimes in scripture. And just as we train our bodies for endurance, I hope you're training your body for endurance, whether it's running or something else. But even more importantly, train your spirit through prayer and study and God's word and meditation and seeking His guidance so that we can find the strength and the perseverance and the encouragement to run our race with Jesus by our side. I pray that our heavenly Father is blessing us today, unveiling to us the spiritual lessons that life and His word teach us. Father, we fix our eyes on you. We put our hope in you. We run with perseverance the race that you have marked out for us. Renew us in our strength. We put our trust in you. And we pray and believe it all in the name of Jesus. I want to remind you this morning, Faith Base, you are not alone in your race. Keep running. Keep your eyes fixed on the finish line. And recognize that Jesus is a constant companion with you every step of the way. Be great, be blessed, be encouraged. We'll see you next time.