Finishing the Race…
Dave Brown - Pastor-at-Large, WACMM
Back in 1988 Derek Redmon qualified for the 400 meter run in the Olympics held in Seoul Korea. But just before his heat he was forced to withdraw because of an Achilles tendon. After five different surgeries, this determined young man was somehow able to qualify for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. About 100 meters into the 400-meter semi-final heat, Redman suddenly collapsed to the track in great pain with a ruptured right hamstring. All his dreams, his hopes, and years of training seemingly collapsed there with him. Yet still determined to finish what he started, he worked his way up on one leg and began hopping toward the finish. Just then a big burly man up in the stands bounded down the stadium steps past the security guard right onto the track. He headed straight for Derek. When he reached him, the burly man put his arms around Derek not to take him off the track for treatment but to support him as Derek slowly, painfully limped his way to the finish. That man was Derek’s dad. It was an unforgettable moment of courage and love. Father and son crossed the finish line together to the thunderous applause of witnesses in the stadium.
If a human father has such a heart for his beloved son, how much more will our Heavenly Father rescue us when we stumble and fall, even when it seems impossible for us to go on. He knows exactly where we are on the track of life, what we’ve gone through and what we’ll face up ahead. He’s wants us to fully lean on him and trust him to carry us in his strength and love. And together with our Heavenly Father we’ll run and finish the race set before us “surrounded by a huge cloud of witnesses” (Heb. 12:1 NLT).
