Faith Journey

Youth Sunday - FPC Wooster, Ohio

February 28, 2010  Dana Brooks

Faith Journey

Marathons…how many of you thought that you would run one of those in your lifetime? Let’s take a moment and visualize what that would look like…there we all are, at the starting line, in our running shorts, number pinned on our back, some of us have sweat bands around our heads, some of us are just sweating. We are well stretched, well trained, some of us eager to start, some of us feeling sick to our stomach! Now there’s a great picture! Well the truth is that each and every one of us is running one right now. All of you sitting before me are running in a journey or marathon of faith. Whether you know it or not you are winding your way around life’s twists and turns, not knowing how you started, but knowing your heading toward the finish line. The questions become: What will the race look like? Will I be successful? Will I falter along the way? What is the prize at the end? Although we may not be able to see the finish line, deep within our hearts we are certain that its there. We must remember that Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Every one runs their marathon differently. Some sprint, passing by people and places without even taking a second glance. Others simply walk taking in the beauty of their surroundings. Throughout this life-long marathon we will certainly have our "ups" and "downs." There are going to be times when we feel great and everything is going right. During these times one of us may help out a runner beside us, or cheer on someone faltering along the way. We may get an "A" on a test or win a championship game. Or we may even finish that 10,000 piece puzzle that we were just dying to get done. All of these are quite the accomplishments, but they are only a small part of the race. Caution is offered here. Accomplishing these tasks cannot allow us to stop as if we have reached the finish. The race is not over with one good deed or an act of kindness. The unique thing about this marathon is that there isn’t one set thing that assures us the prize. It is already promised for the taking. So even though we may feel like we are on the top of the world, don’t stop and be complacent, keep running to the finish.

Along with emotional highs, there will certainly be downfalls and setbacks. Everything seems to be going wrong and nothing seems to bring joy. During these times, disappointments happen: getting laid off, losing a game on a buzzer beating shot; even experiencing the loss of a loved one. We need to realize that these kind of morose events happen along the way. There will be people constantly saying "no" or telling us that we "can’t." In the Book, " Oh the Places You Will Go". Dr. Seuss sums it up:

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win? And IF you go in, should you turn left or right….or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

The important thing to remember is to keep running. Encouragement to stay the course is key. And although the task may seem impossible, remember that we are not alone.

For me, it’s my family and friends that are my cheering section. I have my friends cheering me on yelling keep-going Dana! My mom and dad (I can just see them throwing cups of water in my face). They are telling me that I can do it. But, my biggest fan of all is Jesus Christ. When I reach the point that my body wants to breakdown and I feel like I can’t go on, there is Jesus’ hand reaching out for mine giving me that second wind. Giving me the power to keep going to reach the goal. Then suddenly the feeling is contagious as I start grabbing the hands of others around me giving them the strength to go on. In life, there are many simple actions that pass along this inspiring feeling. These actions are as simple as holding the door open for just one more person, or taking the time to simply ask that lonely kid at school how their day is going. And although it may seem trivial to you, to that one person it may mean the world. This feeling spreads like a domino effect, everyone helping one another to achieve their destination. This domino effect lingers in each and every one of us. It’s the same feeling we get at the start of a basketball game, or the anxious feeling we get watching the Olympics. So what is this amazing domino effect spreading like a wildfire? Its hope…Hope in Christ, the power of knowing that together we can. And with that kind of hope, impossible is nothing.

In Philippians, Paul is writing from prison to thank the Philippian Church and to encourage them in their faith. Paul stresses that his goal is to know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all Christ has in mind for him. OH, this makes it clear that this is our strategy for the race, how we run it, and we now know the prize at the end! Paul’s letter is a helpful example for us. We should not let anything take our eyes off our goal – knowing Christ. Just like any athlete in training, we must put everything aside that could distract us from being an effective Christian. We each need to ask ourselves what is holding us back from this great race.

We have all sinned, all done things we are ashamed of. We struggle with the tug-of-war in what we have been and what we want to be. Paul reminds us to "forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead". Hope in Christ encourages us to let go of past guilt and look forward to what God will help us to become. We are challenged, not by our opponent next to us on the track, court, golf course, or in the office, but by Christ who asks us to grow in the knowledge of God. We are challenged to concentrate on our relationship with him NOW – that is the race!

This marathon is something that each and every one of us is asked to go through, and each and every one of us will handle it differently. But the goal remains the same for us all: To know God…in our journey to be Christ-like. The objective of the race isn’t to be the strongest, or run the fastest, but to continue the journey, realizing that we are forgiven and then challenging ourselves to a life of faith. At the end of the finish line is eternal life. To live with the Lord is the greatest prize that I could ever imagine. And once we finally reach the finish line and break through the tape, God will be waiting there to reward us. So if you would ask me what to do at this time in your marathon, my answer would be simple….just keep running.