Last Thanksgiving my brother David and I ran a race together – a 5 mile Turkey Trot.
On his birthday I gave him a turkey costume – a goal to work towards…We would run again, and he would wear the costume this Thanksgiving when he was stronger. I promised him if he couldn’t wear it I would.
This morning I set out driving to my home town where tomorrow there will be another run.
This one is to raise money for Melanoma research. And I’ll wear the turkey costume. Because David isn’t here to run.
David died on July 18th. In my Bible I found this, dated July 16th.
My brother ran a very good race.
He ran with lots of others – millenials and geriatrics, Native American, African American, those with challenges and abilities of every kind, cheering them on, and having a ton of fun along the way.
He ran with perseverance and faith when it would have been easy to quit.
He ran the race set out for him, not questioning why the finish line was where it was.
He crossed that finish line with remarkable courage and strength.
Ironic. David called me his “head cheerleader”, but he’s left me to run, and he’s now cheering with the “great cloud of witnesses”. I’m sure he’s stomping and yelling from heaven with as much gusto as if he was at a TCU football game (and that’s a considerable amount of gusto).
But this isn’t just a tribute to my brother.
Think of how our Heavenly Father, your true head cheerleader, feels as He watches you running your race of faith… He’s picking you out of the crowd, fully aware of the miles when it’s going to be harder to keep putting one foot in front of another…
Sometimes proudly pointing, like “That’s my boy! That’s my girl!”, and other times yelling, “You’ve got this because you’ve got Me!! You’re not alone!”
We are all runners. We are all cheerers.
We all have hard races to run and we need each other.
As cheerers we get to be the megaphone of God for a world full of weary marathoners.
Today, if you’re in the midst of a hard leg of your race, listen closely. If you do, you’ll hear the sound of your Father who is crazy about you, and can’t take His eyes off you. He’s cheering you on. And I think maybe David is too.
“So do not fear for I am with you.; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you an help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41;10
So beautifully said. Praying for you.