Finishing?

(06.03.21 – Pressing On --Hebrews 12:1)

My friend, may I ask you a question? Is it tempting to let up when the sights around us look favorable? Do we finish well in our Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the goal: Jesus Christ?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

It's been said that life is a ladder made up of fragile steps called mistakes. Making it to the finish requires climbing up not climbing down. Backtracking over our fragile mistakes risks a serious fall, even failure. Don't wait and see how things might happen based on what has gone by. When you do it often happens that the wait is the last thing you will do. I was reminded of this recently as I was building an addition to our deck on the west side of the house. I miss-measured a cement pylon by 2". In so doing that mistake manifested itself in increasing proportion until by the time I began placing the support beams I was off by nearly 8" on the far end of the deck structure. I sat there for a moment after discover- ing the mistake and began to be concerned as to how to correct my mistake. I could retrace my steps and tear the entire structure apart and start over. That would delay the project for weeks. Instead a few simple notches cut into the offending beams corrected the problem. I lost hours but not days. Finishing well was the goal and remained so.

Here's a story: On March 6, 1987, Eamon Coughlan, the Irish world record holder at 1500 meters, was running in a qualifying heat at the World Indoor Track Championships in Indianapolis. With two and a half laps left, he was tripped. He fell and tumbled to a halt in a heap on the track. Within seconds, however, Eamon got up and with great effort resumed his gait and within moments managed to catch the leaders; the crowd went wild as they watched the young Irishman, in obvious pain, pull into contention again. With only 20 yards left in the race, he was in third place – good enough to qualify for the finals. He looked over his shoulder to the inside, and, seeing no one, he let up his pace just a bit. As he turned his head back to the front, he didn't see another runner, charging hard on the outside. Before he could correct his timing the unseen runner passed Coughlan a yard before the finish, thus eliminating him from the finals altogether. Coughlan's great comeback effort was rendered worthless by taking his eyes off the finish line. (Source Unknown.)

It's tempting to let up when the sights around us look favorable. But we finish well in the Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the goal: Jesus Christ. Ours is a long distance race and not a short sprint to the finish. That means we need to pay attention to pace we are setting and the goals we are aiming for. It's foolish to approach the Christian race with the attitude of letting up, even if but for a short time, in an effort to see what will happen. We know what will hap- pen if we let up: we will falter, be disappointed and finish short of the goal. Don't wait to see what happens–take hold and make it happen. Our goal, yours and mine, is to finish well. Looking back delays it. Pressing on guarantees it.

We pray. Heavenly Father, it's tempting to let up when the sights around us look favorable. But we we know we will finish well in our Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the goal: Jesus Christ. Ours is a long distance race and not a short sprint to the finish. That means we need to pay attention to pace we are setting and the goals we are aiming for. Forgive us Lord when we choose to approach the this race with the attitude of letting up, even if but for a short time, in an effort to see what will happen. We know what will happen if we let up: we will falter, be disappointed and finish short of the goal. Help us by Your Spirit to take hold and make it happen. Our goal, Lord, is to finish well. Looking back we know will delay it. Pressing on guarantees it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Finishing?

(06.03.21 – Pressing On --Hebrews 12:1)

My friend, may I ask you a question? Is it tempting to let up when the sights around us look favorable? Do we finish well in our Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the goal: Jesus Christ?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

It's been said that life is a ladder made up of fragile steps called mistakes. Making it to the finish requires climbing up not climbing down. Backtracking over our fragile mistakes risks a serious fall, even failure. Don't wait and see how things might happen based on what has gone by. When you do it often happens that the wait is the last thing you will do. I was reminded of this recently as I was building an addition to our deck on the west side of the house. I miss-measured a cement pylon by 2". In so doing that mistake manifested itself in increasing proportion until by the time I began placing the support beams I was off by nearly 8" on the far end of the deck structure. I sat there for a moment after discover- ing the mistake and began to be concerned as to how to correct my mistake. I could retrace my steps and tear the entire structure apart and start over. That would delay the project for weeks. Instead a few simple notches cut into the offending beams corrected the problem. I lost hours but not days. Finishing well was the goal and remained so.

Here's a story: On March 6, 1987, Eamon Coughlan, the Irish world record holder at 1500 meters, was running in a qualifying heat at the World Indoor Track Championships in Indianapolis. With two and a half laps left, he was tripped. He fell and tumbled to a halt in a heap on the track. Within seconds, however, Eamon got up and with great effort resumed his gait and within moments managed to catch the leaders; the crowd went wild as they watched the young Irishman, in obvious pain, pull into contention again. With only 20 yards left in the race, he was in third place – good enough to qualify for the finals. He looked over his shoulder to the inside, and, seeing no one, he let up his pace just a bit. As he turned his head back to the front, he didn't see another runner, charging hard on the outside. Before he could correct his timing the unseen runner passed Coughlan a yard before the finish, thus eliminating him from the finals altogether. Coughlan's great comeback effort was rendered worthless by taking his eyes off the finish line. (Source Unknown.)

It's tempting to let up when the sights around us look favorable. But we finish well in the Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the goal: Jesus Christ. Ours is a long distance race and not a short sprint to the finish. That means we need to pay attention to pace we are setting and the goals we are aiming for. It's foolish to approach the Christian race with the attitude of letting up, even if but for a short time, in an effort to see what will happen. We know what will hap- pen if we let up: we will falter, be disappointed and finish short of the goal. Don't wait to see what happens–take hold and make it happen. Our goal, yours and mine, is to finish well. Looking back delays it. Pressing on guarantees it.

We pray. Heavenly Father, it's tempting to let up when the sights around us look favorable. But we we know we will finish well in our Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the goal: Jesus Christ. Ours is a long distance race and not a short sprint to the finish. That means we need to pay attention to pace we are setting and the goals we are aiming for. Forgive us Lord when we choose to approach the this race with the attitude of letting up, even if but for a short time, in an effort to see what will happen. We know what will happen if we let up: we will falter, be disappointed and finish short of the goal. Help us by Your Spirit to take hold and make it happen. Our goal, Lord, is to finish well. Looking back we know will delay it. Pressing on guarantees it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.