The baby is born. From the first cry, all the baby knows is, “I need this now!” There is no time beyond right now. “I need to eat, now. It’s 2:00 in the morning; what does that mean? All I know is I am hungry!”
As the child grows, hopefully there is greater and greater recognition that there is more than right now. Some grasp it at a younger age, some much later (maybe never). Maturity brings the recognition that life is not a sprint, but a marathon.
Spirituality We must not “flame up and flame out” spiritually. We have a “course to run.” As Paul faced death, he could confidently say, “I have finished my course” (2 Timothy 4:7). Jesus told the churches of Asia, “Be faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10). Our spiritual life will have ups-and-downs, but we just have to keep going.
Marriage Too many couples today seem to view marriage as a sprint, so when things get hard, they are ready to give up and quit. Only when a couple enters marriage viewing it as a lifelong marathon will it be successful, knowing that it is worth the run!
Life If we are blessed with years, we realize life is a marathon. It has those wonderful parts that light our lives up and give lasting memories. It has the little things that bring a smile to our faces, those sweet, tiny things. For example, the phone rings, and a little 18-month-old voice says, “Hey Pawpaw.” What a precious memory! There will be pain, tears and loss. Yet, in the end, the race will finish, and all the effort, pain, joy and perseverance will be worth it. May you, at whatever part of your marathon in which you find yourself, “run with patience the race that is set before you.”
