The Heart Of A Man

Committed

Just this week I started running again. It’s been about 2 years since I’ve run. Why did I start back? That’s a whole different story I won’t get into now but God had a reason for it that was different than mine. Tonight He showed me part of that reason.

When I went running tonight it was about 36 degree and there was a light rain coming down. About ¾ of my way through the run there was a guy walking in the other direction coming toward me. As I neared him I saw him shake his head and smile. He said, “Man, you must be really committed.” My first thought was, “Does he mean I should really be committed in an insane asylum?” That’s what the look on his face conveyed.

But then a little later God brought to mind a time in high school when I wanted to try out for the track team. I didn’t want to run; I wanted to do the high jump. I had some friends on the team that did the high jump and they took me to meet the coach at practice. He said, “Okay, if you want to join the team go run five miles and then come back and see me.”

“Five miles? You’ve got to be kidding? I just want to do the high jump. I didn’t say anything about running!”

I don’t remember how I excused myself from that practice, but I do remember that I didn’t run five miles and I didn’t join the track team. I didn’t think much about it at the time, haven’t thought a lot about it since either. Until tonight.

Tonight God showed me what that coach was doing. He was testing how committed I was to being on the team. And he certainly found out what he wanted to know.

So I started thinking about this idea of being committed. I started wondering if God tests us to see how committed we are. Maybe He allows hardships to see if we will stay faithful or curse Him.

But that doesn’t seem right. I mean, God knows everything. He knows how committed we are. But maybe He allows us to be tested so that WE will see how committed we are to Him. That might be. I think that could definitely play into it.

But somehow, even if this plays a part, I think what God brought to my mind just as I started typing this could possibly be the more important thing that God is teaching about commitment when we go through hardship…That we may see how committed HE is to us.

That thought brings a smile to my face and peace to my heart. Yes, God is so committed to us that He gave His life so that we can have hope. He is so committed that He gives us strength so we can endure. And He is so committed that when we fail He never abandons us, but He picks us up and sets us back on our feet and helps us head back in the right direction.

I’ve taken God on some long runs in some pretty bad weather. But He’s always stuck by me and guided me through them. Man, He must really be committed.

posted by David @ 11:09 PM