J ACKSON BROWNE WROTE and sang a great song, “Running on Empty.” Listen to a portion of it to help your memory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq25ZJwZJzU (2:35 to 3:17)
Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I don’t know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels
I look around for the friends that I used to turn to to pull me through
Looking into their eyes I see them running, too
Running on — running on empty
Running on — running blind
Running on — running into the sun
But I’m running behind
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WHO AMONG US FEELS like you’re running on empty? It’s been a hectic week getting back into school. Renewed arguments about bedtime, what to wear, homework. Maybe the beginning of the school year is exciting. Before long it usually gets harder. Then you will need perseverance. Some of you went back to school unwillingly and with deep dread. You need perseverance from the very beginning of the year.
Work is overwhelming. Then all the stuff with the kids. No time for yourself. Not enough sleep. Always feeling like you’re running but you’re always behind. Perseverance.
And retirement. It was supposed to be leisure. It’s just as hectic. Nothing’s changed except you’re older. Your grown children, your health, your volunteer schedule overwhelms you. At your age, it’s more like walking on empty.
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OUR FAITH is like that sometimes.
■ We get bored with religion.
■ We get tired of praying and seeing no results.
■ We look around and are filled with questions about where God is in the midst of so much chaos and strife; pain and anger.
■ The Bible, when we pick it up to read it, is just words in stilted writing.
What’s the use? In those dry seasons; in those desert wanderings we need perseverance.
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YOU’RE NOT ALONE in your questions, fears, doubts, uncertainties, dry and weary times. But we are called to persevere. Hang tough. That’s easy to say. But we get tired. We get distracted. We get frustrated. We get burned out, let down, hurt. Sin gets in the way. We’re ready throw in the faith towel.
We’re running on empty. There’s nothing to do but quit. We’re too empty to even crawl across the finish line in this race we’re running. But we have this encouragement: let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Here’s the thing. Don’t try to do it alone. We can’t do it alone.
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YOU’RE NOT ALONE in your questions, fears, doubts, uncertainties, dry and weary times. But we are called to persevere. Hang tough. That’s easy to say. But we get tired. We get distracted. We get frustrated. We get burned out, let down, hurt. Sin gets in the way. We’re ready throw in the faith towel.
We’re running on empty. There’s nothing to do but quit. We’re too empty to even crawl across the finish line in this race we’re running. But we have this encouragement:
Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Here’s the thing. Don’t try to do it alone. We can’t do it alone.
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A MARATHON is a 26.2-mile race. That’s a long way to run.
Ariana Luterman, a high-school senior, was running the final leg of her marathon relay. The high-school relay was on the same course as the solo runners. Ariana caught up with Chandler Self who was running the full marathon. The pair ran together for a mile and a half before Self began struggling. By mile 26, Self became disoriented and stumbling. Ariana could see what was going on. Within sight of the finish line, Ariana reached out to help Self complete the final 200 yards. “The only thing I could think of to do was to pick her up, so I picked her up and I think she was a little confused at first,” Luterman told a Dallas newspaper. “No way was I going to start sprinting and just leave her there.”
Chandler Self had a commanding lead. It looked like she was going to keep running right through the finish line — but with 200 yards to go, she couldn’t complete the race by herself. Her body shut down. She needed an extra hand to break the tape at the finish line.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDVkiWSZPoI (Play through 2:46.)
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THERE ARE TIMES a hero of faith reaches down to lift you in this race of faith. There are times when you are called to be the hand of faith for someone else. All the while keeping our eyes upon Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
