Rooted for the Marathon

Blessed is the one…whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers (Psalm 1: 1-3, excerpts)

Following Jesus is not a 100 meter sprint that we run when we’re in the mood.

It’s a lifelong marathon.

Today inaugurates the final week of September, and the first school day of autumn. We’ve had the first Church in the Box, Hotspot, three chapels, dorm devos, impromptu porch worship experiences, and all kinds of other September experiences.

And now it’s time to fasten our laces for the marathon. Marathons beat us up: we get tired and cranky, and our faith goes stale, our love cools down, our hope lowers its bar to wishful thinking.

What sustains us for this long haul? Prayer is the chief marathon-equipper.

When the race overwhelms me, one of my strategies is to turn the testimony quoted below into a personal prayer. I invite you to try it right now, addressing it to the Lord as a petition:

“As a believer in Jesus Christ, I see myself as redeemed, forgiven and covered in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. I believe that this is how God sees me, all the time and without exception. I believe that his smile and delight in me is unwavering. This view of myself is quite simple yet with profound implications. It allows me to accept criticism without self-condemnation and to accept affirmations without exalting myself. This is the ideal view of myself that I am always working at. It is a struggle, but a good one.” (Carol Collier, quoted in the New York Times, May 3, 2013).

This Wednesday at noon we begin our annual Redeemer tradition of 24/7 prayer: 168 consecutive hours of praying in the AUG hall common room. This Redeemer tradition symbolizes our shift from the early September sprint to the full year marathon. I encourage you – either alone or with others – to sign up for an hour outside the Student Senate office. If the thought of praying for an hour scares you, I assure you that the room will invite you to pray in so many different ways that your hour will fly by.

Last night Dr. Jim Payton, one of the senior members of our community (and thus a spiritual marathon runner) addressed us at Church in the Box. This Wednesday another marathon runner – one who has been imprisoned for his faith and activism in Communist China -- will address us in chapel. Han Dongfang will share his testimony to help us launch 24/7 prayer week under the title, “Why I am one of the five luckiest people in the world.” (He will also give a public address Tuesday evening.)

How can a persecuted brother in the Lord be one of the five luckiest people in the world?

Maybe he’s a tree planted by the stream of living water, nourished for the marathon.

May the Lord strengthen you as his tree this week too.