Dive Deeper

  

    “RUN!” a familiar voice shouts from behind you.

    You quickly rise to your feet and begin sprinting in the opposite direction from the potential danger.  You can hear the snarls of a wild animal as your friend lets out a terrifying scream.  Fear rises in you and the adrenaline pumps through your blood as you pick up speed.  Every five seconds you take a look behind your shoulder to ensure that the danger isn’t approaching.  

    “Run for your life!” another voice cries out.

    You continue putting one foot in front of the other, but you know that it’s only a matter of time until you lose all energy and grow tired from this sprint...

 

​

     Hopefully, none of us have experienced anything like this, but I’m sure all of us are familiar with the idea of running for our lives.  Whether we’ve seen a scene like this one played out in a movie or heard stories from relatives, we have an idea of what it’s like to run from the fears of this world.  Even if we haven’t run from physical dangers, many of us find ourselves running from emotional or mental burdens such as depression, relational conflict, or change.  Too often, issues like these will catch up to us and can overpower us if we try to fight these battles alone.

     Maybe there’s another way to deal with life’s fears or dangers that are thrown at us.  Maybe “run for your life” has a different meaning.  Maybe instead of running from danger out of fear, it can mean running with hope towards the One who gives life.

 

     When Jesus came to earth and died for our sins, He made a way for us to enter into eternal life where we would not be paralyzed by fear.  Jesus endured the cross so that we do not have to live our lives filled with anxiety or shame.  And since we receive His salvation and rest when we trust in Him, we will never lose heart or grow weary as we run in His footsteps.

 

Isaiah 40:31

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

    they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

 

     Without hope or freedom, the troubles of this world will weigh us down, tire us, and keep us from living a life of joy and peace.  Without an endless source of strength, we will grow weary as we try to run life’s track.  Without Jesus, we will surely fail and fall.  But if we place our hope in the one who has already won the race for us, we no longer have to fear the unknown.  If we fix our eyes on the One who was sent to die for us, we will no longer be distracted by the worries of the world.  If we place our trust in the Name of Jesus, we will run towards perfect eternity with nothing to hold us back.

 

I’m not gonna look back, I’m gonna run to your side 

Fear slips away as I look in your eyes 

Facing the uncertain I don’t fear the great unknown 

For you are with me, I am never alone

 

     This life is a race, it’s a marathon, and we are all running for our lives.  For us who know Jesus, we no longer run with fear and look behind us with every step, but we fix our eyes on Christ and run with complete confidence.  We know that Jesus has paved the way for us, and is with us every step of the way until we enter into His arms in Heaven.

​
 

Questions for Reflection

 

1. Are there things that you are currently running from?  Do these things cause you to fear or worry?  

2. What do you think it would mean for you to run towards Christ, instead?  What, if anything, is keeping you from running towards Him?

3. Do you often feel weary or burdened?  If so, ask God to fill you with His perfect peace and strength.  Lord, renew me with Your strength and help me to find rest in You alone.