I am no athlete. I am a participant. That’s why I see myself walking a dirt road and not running.  My husband, however, is a runner. I mean, like a marathon runner. I admire his ability to stay the course and run the whole way….Me? I run a little and I walk a little….but I cross the finish line just the same…. a long time after he finishes.

I think our life journey is like a marathon or maybe a triathlon. We have to stay the course and keep putting one foot down and then the next foot and do it all over again. Monotonous? Not at all.

On the racecourse, there is usually great scenery…other runners…water stations…porta-potties…all the necessities. Participants carry extra water…energy snacks..stuff they need for the journey. Some have their phones. They put in earbuds and listen to a playlist. I guess that’s great…but do we need to be distracted along the way? Won’t we miss stuff? Why run all those miles and miss the journey?

The best part of a 10k or a half marathon is what I find on the way. Sometimes it’s wildlife…maybe flowers..maybe a friend. The great part is that it is not over quickly. (At least for the slower participants like me.) You have plenty of time. You are able to take in the moment…see all kinds of things you would miss in a vehicle. It can be a time of being deliberate. Allowing yourself to listen and really see.

Those races have been some of the sweetest times with Jesus. Praising Him. Asking questions. Praying. Singing. Just enjoying Him. Why would I want to be distracted the whole way?

Maybe we do that in life. We fill our time with ”things” to distract and entertain…to soothe ourselves …or just drown out pain…anything but pay attention as we walk with Jesus.

This old hymn says it perfectly….

“And He walks with me
And He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share
As we tarry there…
None other has ever known.”

That’s what I really want…that’s what I really need…Jesus walking with me.

I need to walk with Him without the distractions I’ve used on this journey. I can keep walking. Do the daily stuff. But…pay attention. He’s talking as we walk. Maybe not with a “voice from Heaven” but, He speaks.

I don’t want to miss anything…especially Him.