Hi, this is Marty Goetz, I’m a Messianic musician and recording artist – welcome to God Today. You know, just recently a woman named Shalane Flanagan won the New York City Marathon. The first woman to win that race in 40 years – since 1977. Now, I have fond memories of that time because that was a time I was in New York – 1977. And looked up to heaven, asking God if Yeshua (Jesus – that’s his Hebrew name, Yeshua) was the Messiah. And He answered me and I became a believer in Him.
You know, it’s been a marathon ever since. If you’ve seen the woman’s face it was a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration – she had won the race. And that’s what we’re all called to do. There’s a scripture that says, “Therefore, seeing we also are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us. Let us run the race with endurance, looking to Jesus, [looking up to Jesus, Yeshua] the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and sat down at the right hand of God.”
You know, Yeshua – Jesus, He ran that race too. It was exhausting, but it was exhilarating – there was joy at the end. That’s what we’re called to do. Somebody said, “It’s long obedience in the same direction.” This race we’re in is a marathon. If you’re just beginning your race, if you fall you have to get up again. You have to keep getting up and pressing on, no matter what happens – because people do fall. I remember a great movie, Chariots of Fire, where Eric Little fell and yet got up and began to run. And he was running and he always says, “When I run I feel His pleasure.” Well, when we run the race God has given us we have the pleasure of God.
So keep running. Don’t give up, like Paul. He says at the end, “I have finished my race and I am going to receive a crown of righteousness.” So, wherever you are in your life, just keep running. Keep following that pace you are on. I’m pretty slow. One day the Lord showed me when I was running that I’m not the hare, I am the turtle – the tortoise. No matter if you’re slow or fast, keep running the race for the joy that is set before you. There’s a finish line and there’s the joy of knowing that you have run and God will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Let me pray for you, if I may. Lord God, we know there are people running their race today. And we don’t know where they are. Some have fallen, some have tripped, I’ve done that before. Just give them the courage to get up, keep running, and to follow what was written in the scriptures that says, “Forget those things which lie behind, reach forward to those things which lie ahead, press on to the high calling of Messiah Yeshua, Jesus.” Let them do that. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.