#184 Marathon (2may08)

'Who hath believeth our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?'
Isaiah 53:1

Greek legend relates that Pheidippides, an Athenian herald, ran the distance(42.195km) between the battlefield by the town of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon(490BC). Upon gasping the good news with literally his last breath, the poor runner died.

Today, the marathon is run in many places of the world. A test of men's endurance and always an apt finale for the Olympics, where determination and sheer will are etched on the winner's face, where mind matters over body, where the final product is the fruition of years of training and sacrifice.

'The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple'
Psalms 119-130

Not too sure if in the modern telecommunications- free days of B.C, how much credence would have the astonished Athenians given to the words of a dead man, for the only reliable way to confirm the truth of that famous victory over a much superior Persian force was to await either with joy or trepidation, the eventual appearance of the victorious force, be it Greek or Persian.

'And for this purpose I am appointed a herald…………….I am telling the truth, I am not lying……'
1 Timothy 2:7

What about God?

There are many heralds of the good news of the gospel of peace, joy and salvation. Many were persecuted and lived a shortlived but impactful life as they stood firm in their faith. And there were also many who by the grace of God became men of great repute who lived a wonderful long life and had a tremendous impact on many. Of course, there were many who are somewhere in between but nevertheless, were used wonderfully by the Lord our God wherever He places them.

Today, many in the world do run the marathon. There are many more who do not partake in this self-inflicted mental and physical grind, but who either accept the legend or are nonchalant about its reliability or like most are blissfully unaware of its origin.

What about God??

'I rejoice at Thy word, as one that findeth great spoil'
Psalms 119:162

I am no marathon runner. Not even close to a wisp of it. The longest distance I ever ran in my more youthful days was 8km.

Distance running for many, unless you are from a different planet is one of the most dreaded self inflicted form of exercise that man has concocted. For most, there is a psychological block to even considering the possibility of donning that long neglected pair of running shoes. Like many, when I take that first few steps, all my fears and trepidations came true and one wish that one had never started. However, what is it that keeps me and many more going, even as we huff and puff our way towards the desired end point? Is it because of the adrenalin pump that one gets, that exhilarated feeling that inevitably follows when one completes the race?

'Thy word is true from the beginning; and every one of Thy righteous judgments endureth for ever'
Psalms 119:160

If one do spend time to read the Bible, it does provoke questions in the inquiring mind. Answers to which can be seemingly contradictory, for different verses in the Bible sometime seems to give a different take. This was an issue that not just confused but created doubts in my mind when I first started reading the Bible in the early years of my journey with God. But I have come to learn that the ways of God are revealed to us as He wills and with our finite capacity, there are many things that can and will remain a mystery to us till He shows us otherwise.

Sounds like the typical motherhood statement that many non-believers take with offense whenever confronted with seemingly unanswered or unsatisfactory answers by believers to their questions. Questions that are logical within their frame of reference and that emanates from the beginnings of an interest to learn more about the God that so many of us professed with passion.

A man trained in theology might be in a better position to explain the historical context, the scholarstic research and maybe even clarify to a large extent many of the basic questions of life that many are searching for answers to, and in their meanderings, the Lord has brought them to the Book of Life, the Bible.

But it is God Who is the source of all our comfort and grace.

'Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles,shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side'

Psalms 71:20-21

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing, for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty lands springs of water…….'

Isaiah 35:5-7

How did I, a layman come to a much closer relationship with God today compared to just a few years back?
Like many, the journey started much earlier and though God was always in my presence, either I was blissfully unaware or never acknowleged Him. Reading the Bible or spending time in prayers if at all were usually in times of need when one is searching for that 'quick fix' and even then, it was usually cursory at best and driven by the answers I was looking for.

My faith grew not because I found the answers to all my questions. But rather, by the grace of God, in the midst of my seeking Him, He lifted the blindness in my heart. He gave me that inner joy and peace that answers to my questions no longer matter. That what matters is the need for me to response in faithful obedience and trust.

'Glory ye in His holy name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually. Remember His marvellous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgements of His mouth…'

1 Chronicles 16:10-12

All of us are running a race. A race that officially starts from the day we are born, and ends the day that we depart this world. The difference for me and many who seek to know and follow our Lord Jesus Christ is that by His grace, He took us out of the diverse routes to Hell and placed us on the narrow path to Heaven.

'For whoever finds Me finds life and receives favour from the Lord'
Proverbs 8:35

Truly believing in the gospel is not the culmination of a journey but rather a new beginning. A beginning that brings us to the starting point of the right route to be made ready for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, but still a journey that can and will be challenging. The difference is that God journeys with us and if we let Him, He will keep us focussed, and He hath provided.

'But whoever fails to find Me harms himself; all who hate Me love death'
Proverbs 8:36

Someone asked me a question 'If Heaven is as good as many Christians seem to profess, why not short-cut the process and kill ourselves right now, so that we can be with God that much earlier in Heaven?'

'My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God'
Psalm 84:2

But Heaven is already with us, when we believe. For heaven is the presence of God in our lives. In believing, our old self dies, and we are reborned. A new being, a 'slave' to a Sovereign and loving God, and as our Master, only God can determine our destiny, and as 'slaves' we respond not with our free will based on our finite understanding, but we align our will to the will of God, we respond in total obedience and trust.

But now you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God…..'
Romans 6:22

Just like in running a long distance race, there are times we will hit our 'wall.' Times that we may feel the desire to just stop and not finish the race. God is perfecting us. Refinement can be a burdensome and painful process. But like many, we have learn that God is always there with us, He knows our limits. His grace is indeed suffice for the day and He hath provided. There is no need for an alternative route or shortcuts.

'If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of the Jordan?'

Jeremiah 12:5

'I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus…'
Philippians 3:14

'
'But I will hope continually, and will yet praise Thee more and more'
Psalms 71:14

''Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus'
Philippians 4:6-7

'
God Blesses

Eng Hieang
(1 May 2008)