I enjoy long distance running. There is something exhilarating about the sound of my feet hitting the pavement whether it is the hottest day of summer, the coldest chill in the winter, or the most comfortable temperatures of spring or fall. In addition, the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits that a run provides me are amazing. Whether my running pace is my fastest yet or my slowest in months, I often receive clarity about concerns that I was uncertain about before my run. Some of my sweetest moments with God have occurred during my hardest runs as my body was tired but my mind recalled Bible verses that not only encouraged me to endure my run but also to endure life’s hardships.
One thing that most of my runs have in common, no matter the level of difficulty, is thirst. After exerting energy and sweat, I long for a cold drink of water to quench my thirst. On days with dry air and over 90-degree temperatures, my thirst is even greater, and I seek water immediately after the run concludes.
In Psalm 63:1 the psalmist David said,
God, you are my God; I earnestly seek you. I thirst for you; my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. (CSB)
David acknowledges his relationship with God and then reveals that he seeks God earnestly amid everything that is occurring in his life. He even compares his seeking of the Lord to thirst that can only be quenched by finding God.
Can you remember a time when you were thirsty? After you took a drink, it was likely satisfying and relieving.
If I run and do not properly hydrate with water and other nutrients, I may feel faint until I properly replenish. The psalmist David shared that his body faints for God in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water (Psalm 63:1). David’s longing for God was deep enough to touch both his spirit and body. Like David, we should long for replenishment of our weary spirits and bodies through spending time with God.
I have often gone to worship God in my home or in church feeling weary in my body and have come away with a renewed strength not only to run a physical race as a long-distance runner but to also run my most important race—a spiritual race as a Christian. Hebrews 12:1 says,
Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us.
During my time of worship, I am reminded that I must lay aside all things that hinder me from running this Christian race and any sin that threatens to trap me and keep me from doing God’s will within my life. The only way that we can live a life that aims to be free from sin is to keep our focus on God and to receive His strength to turn away from sin. David said in Psalm 63:2,
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