How's Your Personal Race Going?

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it."   --- 1 Corinthians 9:24

*****

If you believe horse races are barbaric, Honey, move on to the next blog. シ This race did my heart much good, so here's my post.

Wow. The 2022 Kentucky Derby, right?

You've not yet seen it? Before reading this post, you may want to watch the last stretch, just a few seconds, here, first. 

Rich Strike, the horse. Wow.

Rich Strike ran most of the race without being taken seriously. Who even watches last-minute-replacement-horses in the back except for their owners/trainers?

But even though ignored, in the center of relative slowpokes kicking mud up on him, Rich Strike ran steady. His rider moved him to the right places at the perfect times, then urged Rich Strike to use his reserved energy at the end.

Speaking of which, did you notice (in the non-aerial view) how Rich Strike turned his face toward the two expected-to-win horses? Exactly as if--with his eyes--he told them, "That's all you've got? Really? Watch this!"

Then Rich Strike stretched out his neck, his body, his pace, and took the lead, shocking the announcer, then the world with his win.

The tired fighters of 2022's world were thrilled, uplifted, encouraged.

Folks who are soured by conspiracy theories, voiced those (can we really blame them?).

But Rich Strike? He was used to longer races and bit at those trying to slow his pace after the race. His great heart longed to keep running, even without an audience, even though, according to others, he was done.

I like what Jennifer Keyte wrote:

"Rich Strike, you just gave hope to every single person feeling hemmed-in against the rail in any part of life! Take the opening and Go For It!"

Today? Today if you've had all sorts of mud slung upon you and you feel you're running unnoticed, well, Jesus notices all details. Every tear floats inside a bottle and each effort to run steady in all faithfulness to Him will be rewarded. Some prizes come now; most are awarded in Heaven.

But you've got to stay in it to win it.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..."   --- Hebrews 12:1

Since 2020 while I've watched lots of Christians drop out of this latest race I've wondered, "What did they think future hard times would look like? They spent decades reading about them, but why were they blown away when they arrived?"

There are no prizes for those who quit early.

******

Oh, and if you didn't already know, this was the second biggest upset in the Kentucky Derby's 148 year history! 

People declare it can never happen again, but I'm holding out that it will. I love when impossibilities happen!

Here's the race in its entirety.

******

Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

 *** 

 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15