Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through
Jesus Who strengthens me."
Greetings,
Today we pick up the Ironman story with the actual event itself.
Imagine hundreds of men and women, all eager/anxious
participants, excitedly huddled around friends and families in the huge parking
lot of Northshore Park where a 2.4 mile swim would kick off the grueling
competition. Now let me change the name
from huddles to prayer circles because everywhere I looked folks were holding
hands in public and inviting the greatest Ironman Who ever lived, JESUS, to be
their Protector, Guide, and Encourager.
Next thing we know the starter gun has gone off, and all the
swimming cap-wearing competitors dive into the water. It was breathtaking to see the synchronized
bobbing heads. Ernie's entourage and I headed back to the other side
of the waterway where we would be able to walk alongside him for a few minutes
as he swam to the transition point. What we did not know was that a few
minutes into the swim, Ernie got the breath kicked out of him by one or more of
the hundreds of surrounding zealous swimmers vying for the best time. He literally had to float on his back for 20
minutes. Was Jesus with him giving him strength?
Ernie successfully transitioned into the bike ride, and a few hours
later his kids spotted him. They yelled
for us to make our way down to a fenced area where Ernie would drop off the
bike and then take off running. We were all there when a clearly exhausted
Ernie staggered over to us. And for a
brief moment in time everything stopped.
He reached out to Maggie, his wife, kissed her, and said he was
not sure he could continue. His feet were in terrible pain, and admits he
cried the last 50 miles of the bike race because of it. We rallied around
him, and somehow, someway, he dug deep, and off he went. Was Jesus with
him giving him strength?
At one point while we are waiting to see him during the run,
Maggie says she and Ernie agreed that if he gave her a thumbs up it meant everything
was fine. She confided in me she was sure he would give the thumbs up no
matter what to ease her worrying. But then we spotted him, and he gave a
resounding and energetic thumbs up. I
told Maggie there was no way he could fake that joy, and it turns out I was
right. A few yards into the marathon, the foot pain stopped. Did
Jesus, indeed, strengthen him?
The answer, dear ones, is YES! It would be a good idea for
all of us to accept by faith that when we pray, whether or not we feel
anything, God has answered and is with us. That is why it is called
faith.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, Strengthen our faith to believe that when we pray You
answer us. Give us strength for whatever
we face today. It is comforting to know we are never alone. In
Jesus' name, Amen~
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