Sunday, February 20, 2011

Running Water

Apologies for the long break. In my part of the world, we were busy celebrating the Lunar New Year. Sure there is no excuse to not pen down my thoughts on life as it passes by, but after being on feasting mode for at least 15 days slack and laziness do set in a little. To overcome the slack, I've signed myself up for a 10km run in April, and I am totally unfit and unprepared as of the time of this entry.

As I ponder about the subject of running it dawned upon me that we had never stopped "running" since the day we were born. When I was much, much younger, running was always the preferred mode of getting from point A to B, even if it was just from the kitchen fridge to the front of the television set. At the ring of the recess bell, it was always the maddening run from the class to my favourite canteen stall as it always had the longest queue. I even ran for school Sports Day in a relay team. And even now, I am still "running". A different run altogether, one that requires my utmost perseverance and will to live. A run that everyone of us are involved in, called life.

Anyone can tell you that we lose water content as we run. Our body perspires and we start to thirst. If we ignore the signs and keep on running, eventually our body will be severely dehydrated and can have life-threatening effects. Hence, it is of utmost importance to keep ourselves hydrated as we run.

Where am I driving with this? Parallel to our Life run is our Spiritual run. The Bible tells us that it is liken to a marathon. When we accept Christ and set our hearts on the purposes of God in our lives, we are running in the race of faith. Perhaps you have seen some faltered and dropped out of the race, yet there are many who are still going strong.

As with a natural run, a spiritual run needs hydration as well. We won't last long if we never drink from the rivers of flowing water in God's presence. It is important to keep ourselves soaked in the Holy Spirit, through prayers and personal quiet time. You have seen images of runners pouring bottles of water, after drinking, over their heads as they run to refresh themselves. Isn't it a beautiful picture to have that as we run our race of faith, we continually pour the rejuvenating presence of God onto our heads and let it run down and soaked our entire being?

Don't be dehydrated as you run. Drink in His presence and Spirit today!

God bless!
Guy down the street...