Read: Hebrews 12:1-3 & Isaiah 40:31 & 2 Thessalonians 3:5
I hope that I have another half marathon in me. We’ll see… During the three months of training for my one and only half marathon race, I was committed to a training schedule. I devoted five days a week, and I added distance to each weekly long run until I pounded out ten miles on the treadmill one cold January morning. Sometimes the runs were boring. Most days I would’ve preferred a nap over weight training. At one point, I injured my knee; I rested it and proceeded with the schedule.
On race day, I was anxious and eager all at once. It must have been a record February temperature on that day in Jacksonville because the heat was oppressive. The two miles on the beach whipped my rear-end, and the finish on an incline was about more than I could handle. Runners were losing their lunch on either side, and I nearly fainted after I crossed the finish line. This thing was no joke.
The author of Hebrews compares our lives to a race (12:1) as he calls us to perseverance. In verse 3, he challenges us to not grow weary or lose heart. The same metaphor applies to our marriages. We must train to be godly spouses; we have to be devoted to going the distance - even when the circumstances are kicking our fannies. Even when the scenery never changes on the treadmill, and folks around us are dropping out left and right. We must be committed to seeing this thing to the end - even when we feel faint of heart and ready to quit.
Jesus didn’t quit. He persevered. So as you persevere in your marriage, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” (2 Thessalonians 3:5).
