Lengthening Your Stride
Journal 2006 09 19
Lengthening Your Stride
“It's not that I've already reached the goal or have already completed the course. But I run to win that which Jesus Christ has already won for me. Brothers and sisters, I can't consider myself a winner yet. This is what I do: I don't look back, I lengthen my stride, and I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that God's heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus.” Apostle Paul (Philippians 3:12-14 GW)
“…our anxiety as also the wish of the party to proceed on as expeditiously as possible to the Illinois enduce us to continue on without halting to hunt. we Calculate on ariveing at the first Settlements on tomorrow evening which is 140 miles, and objecet of our party is to divide the distance into two days, this day to the Osarge River, and tomorrow to the Charriton a Small french Village” Captain Clark.
So there it is in plain view. The edge of civilization in their sights after just over two years due west of it. La Charette, Missouri was a small French settlement and had become the focus of the men. One hundred forty miles over next two days. “No problem Captains. We’ve done it before and we can do it again. We’ll live on pappows for the next two days if we need to.” This must have been the response of the soldiers to their leaders. Like a distance runner beginning to pick up the pace as the finish line beckons, the Corps of Discovery collectively begins to lengthen their stride and press towards the goal that they may indeed win the prize.
We live in a world that is in many ways artificial. Business wants to conduct itself daily at this finish line pace where the stride is lengthened and the pace picked up. That can’t happen in the real world. It can happen in a relay race where the baton is share among the team. The religious world wants to achieve mountaintop experiences every living moment on earth. The scientific world wants to move and travel outside the constraints of time and dimension.
“To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens:…” King Solomon (Ecclesiastes 3:1 MKJV)
Allow God’s time and purpose to lead our lives. Is it time to go to the mountaintop for vision and renewal? Then go. Is it time to come down from the mountain and go back to work in the richness only the valley can provide? Then go to work. Is it time to run the race at a pace that allows you to even reach the finish line? (I can’t sprint the twenty-six miles of a marathon!) Are you at the finish line? Then it is time to lengthen your stride, press forward setting aside hunger and anything else that would distract from pouring out everything in you to reach the finish line first.
Each of us is probably in a different place today. Recognize it and respond correctly. If like the Corps of Discovery you can see the finish line set aside everything that so easily distracts us and set your mind on pressing forward with everything in you to cross that line a winner.
And as Captain Clark recorded today, “We…proceeded on very well the men ply their oares & we decended with great velocity…”
Proceed on well with great velocity.
Lengthening Your Stride
“It's not that I've already reached the goal or have already completed the course. But I run to win that which Jesus Christ has already won for me. Brothers and sisters, I can't consider myself a winner yet. This is what I do: I don't look back, I lengthen my stride, and I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that God's heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus.” Apostle Paul (Philippians 3:12-14 GW)
“…our anxiety as also the wish of the party to proceed on as expeditiously as possible to
So there it is in plain view. The edge of civilization in their sights after just over two years due west of it. La Charette, Missouri was a small French settlement and had become the focus of the men. One hundred forty miles over next two days. “No problem Captains. We’ve done it before and we can do it again. We’ll live on pappows for the next two days if we need to.” This must have been the response of the soldiers to their leaders. Like a distance runner beginning to pick up the pace as the finish line beckons, the Corps of Discovery collectively begins to lengthen their stride and press towards the goal that they may indeed win the prize.
We live in a world that is in many ways artificial. Business wants to conduct itself daily at this finish line pace where the stride is lengthened and the pace picked up. That can’t happen in the real world. It can happen in a relay race where the baton is share among the team. The religious world wants to achieve mountaintop experiences every living moment on earth. The scientific world wants to move and travel outside the constraints of time and dimension.
“To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens:…” King Solomon (Ecclesiastes 3:1 MKJV)
Allow God’s time and purpose to lead our lives. Is it time to go to the mountaintop for vision and renewal? Then go. Is it time to come down from the mountain and go back to work in the richness only the valley can provide? Then go to work. Is it time to run the race at a pace that allows you to even reach the finish line? (I can’t sprint the twenty-six miles of a marathon!) Are you at the finish line? Then it is time to lengthen your stride, press forward setting aside hunger and anything else that would distract from pouring out everything in you to reach the finish line first.
Each of us is probably in a different place today. Recognize it and respond correctly. If like the Corps of Discovery you can see the finish line set aside everything that so easily distracts us and set your mind on pressing forward with everything in you to cross that line a winner.
And as Captain Clark recorded today, “We…proceeded on very well the men ply their oares & we decended with great velocity…”
Proceed on well with great velocity.
posted by @2007 Dick Cinkovich | 3:32 PM
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