Recently in an effort to “get fit in my forties” I’ve started doing sprints.
Well, sprints may be a tad exaggerated. It’s more of a jog. Or a glorified shuffle. But the experts say that high intensity bursts interspersed by moderately paced exercise reduces once heart age by 20 years.
For me that looks like about two minutes of jogging followed by two minutes of walking and back and forth for a total of about 30 minutes.
But the heart health results that I just referenced don’t happen in two weeks or even two months. It takes two years of consistent interval training to get your health health back to what it was twenty years ago.
It’s the long game.
Much like our faith journey.
The apostle Paul reminds us in Hebrews 12 of another race — not a sprint but more a marathon.
Here’s what he writes:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12: 1-3)
Friend, here’s how we are instructed to run the race of faith:
Run in freedom
Evidently, the in thing in workouts are weighted vests. You may have reels about it. I don’t think I’ll ever get one, but I can see how the resistance provided by the vest can help your burn more calories as you walk. Unlike this latest trend in workouts, when it comes to our faith journeys, we are instructed to “throw off everything that hinders.” This is not your in-your-face, blatant sin. But, it is hindering your walk with Jesus. For me, my “weighted vest” when it comes to my walk with God is sometimes as simple as what time I go to bed at night. The later I sleep, the later I wake up and the less disciplined I am the next day. It could mean my time alone with God gets nixed. Or the time I need to steward my body by working out gets thrown out the window. A little self-examination will show you your invisible weighed vest. The call is to throw it off — not just the obvious sin that entangles us but the weight that slows us down.
Run with perseverance
The last few minutes of my “glorified shuffle” every morning are likely painful to watch. I’m a red, hot, sweaty, grimy mess. I’m panting like a steam engine. My head looks like I’ve emerged from a steamy sho
Run on your track
Run toward Jesus
