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. ~Hebrews 12:1-2
How many of you watched the Freedom 250 Grand Prix held in Washington, D. C., this past Sunday? I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a fan of racing in general, but the excitement I feel for this one being held on a special course in honor of America's 250th birthday, is unmatched. Anything that celebrates our country in such a patriotic way floats my boat!
Oh, how I love the pageantry and symbols that represent our great nation! From the flyovers to an eagle soaring, from military bands to the Star-Spangled Banner, from President Trump waving the green flag to begin the race, to Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, waving the one at the finish line, I am transfixed from the get-go. Yes, once the race begins, I mute the sound because watching the television with its constant display of stats is more than enough information for me to understand what's going on.
I did enjoy seeing our nation's capital city as the cars whizzed by landmarks while navigating the twists and turns of the streets. The drivers cannot be distracted by such sights for a second if they hold out any hope of completing the race in one piece. Yes, there are a few collisions, but thankfully, no injuries occurred either to the drivers or the thousands of people lining the course.
The concentration and physical strength necessary to handle a race car is phenomenal. I'm in awe of all the young men who participate. And the winner?
Kyle Kirkwood of Jupiter, Florida! How fitting that this all-American race honoring our 250th birthday is clenched by one of her native sons!
In our lives, we all have races that are marked out for us. Will our journeys be hindered by distractions? Stymied by sins? Or will we fix our eyes steadfastly on Jesus, the only One who can keep us on pace and on the right path. He is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
There is no other.
Amen!
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I confess that road racing of any kind does not float my boat. NASCAR. Indy Car. And I also confess I didn't watch any of the race. But I am still proud to be an American. Great seque into distractions.
ReplyDeleteI hear you, Bill. We should all be proud and thankful to be an American whether we enjoy a road race or not. May Jesus keep us focused always so that we stay on the course He has set for us.
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Amen Ms. Martha. If we have any hope of winning the race God has laid out for us, we must minimize the unnecessary "pits stops" life can bring and maintain our focus on the prize. That upward call! God's blessings, sweet friend. Best to you and Mr. Danny.
ReplyDeleteMinimizing pit stops is key, J. D., that's for sure. May our eyes stay always on the prize that is Jesus.
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I've never been a fan, but even I took notice of this one. And the winner shares the last name of the man who founded out little suburb in St. Louis.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of that, Glynn, but now that you mention it, it makes perfect sense. Atlanta has a Kirkwood neighborhood, too, so it's more common than we thought.
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May we never take our eyes off Jesus.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Diana!
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Somehow I didn't know about this race, and I'm sorry we didn't see it. Our family loves racing, and I'm thinking we didn't know about it or it would've been seen! LOL. Thank you for your thoughts about the race that we are running in this life toward heaven, with our eyes fixed on Jesus! Without Him, we would surely crash and fall. But He keeps us on track, if we just "trust and obey" and follow Him. Great post, Martha!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you all didn't catch the race, Pamela, especially since you are fans. You might be able to catch some highlights on YouTube? Not sure, but it might be worth checking out. Yes, Jesus will keep us on track when we trust and obey Him.
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Well celebrated
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Christine.
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Great post, Martha. I remember St Paul talked about finishing the race to the end. That's what our life is - a race to the end ... to the arms of God.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
That's exactly what our lives are, Victor, a glorious race until we finally reach the arms of Jesus. May we not get distracted along the way.
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I didn't know about this. We had our own race here - Iron man Triathlon. I have never been into car races. The only racing I enjoy are track and field events.
ReplyDeleteWhen my son, Michael passed I remember thinking on that Scripture - that he had run his race with perseverance and faith in spite of his physical limitations. He fought the good fight and is now in the arms of his Savior.
I hear you, Debby, as I've never been a fan of car racing, but I'm so glad I made an exception for this one. Thank you for sharing this memory of your precious Michael as having run his race with faith and determination, fighting the good fight until the very end. We could all learn a lesson from him.
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Isn't it wonderful, Martha, that we serve a God who loves pageantry, who delights in celebration, and who put His love for that kind of thing in our hearts? I must admit, though, that I'm not a dyed-in-the-wool "racing fan." I did go through a stage in my earlier life when I loved NASCAR racing, although I didn't have the money to run around all over the country to follow the major circuit. I did, however, go to some dirt track races in Richmond. They were some rough races and it was a victory of sorts for a driver to manage to finish a race with his car in one piece. I did love everything the race in DC represented, and appreciate so much the courage that President Trump exhibits in planning things like that to honor our country in its 250th birthday. The ungodly, crowd who hate every value and principle our country was founded on will condemn anything President Trump does anyway, so why expect anything else and why yield to the static of their endless profane chants. Once again, dear friend, we're standing on the same ground--or sitting in the same set of bleachers, and cheering for the One who has a celebration waiting for us that will surpass anything this world has ever seen. God bless you for sharing your heart and your patriotism with us, and may the Church of Jesus Christ be granted a fresh awakening and lift a voice for righteousness and truth and real justice in this land again.
ReplyDeleteThat is my prayer, too, Ron, that the church today will experience a revival and fresh awakening in this great nation of ours. May we never be ashamed of proclaiming Jesus as our Savior and standing up for truth and justice in our precious land of the free and home of the brave. As I've stated before, we must stand on the Judeo-Christian values upon which our nation was founded and carry those traditions proudly and courageously.
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What a good comparison of racing with this bible verse. I did not see this race, and really didn't know much about it. So I am glad you posted it and I can get a glimpse!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the post, Ginny. As I'm not a race car fan, I might have missed the whole thing had I not happened to hear about it. I've loved every event held to celebrate America's 250th Birthday. What a year it's been!
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Amen!! Well said, Martha!! I did not watch the race, but I lived there for 12 years and know all the monuments and buildings well. God bless America! xo
ReplyDeleteThe monuments are definitely stunning, Terri, and I'm also thrilled that our President along with the Interior Secretary have successfully beautified so much of the National Mall and all the fountains, too. It was such a fun event to watch!
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We watched about the first 1/3 of this race and enjoyed it. I also liked getting to see Washington DC from above, from drones, I assume. The last time I was there was in 1988. Such an interesting place both then and now.
ReplyDeleteI heard that there were no fewer than 90 cameras tracking the race; that included the drones! And I agree, Barbara, that those drone shots were fantastic. The last time I was in DC was 2010. Much more beautiful now than it was then.
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I did not watch it but I have overheard many conversations since. Sounds like a beautiful event. Thank you Martha for the great comparison of the race and our lives. great analogy..
ReplyDeleteI can certainly understand why you didn't watch the race, Shug, with all the celebrations you had going on with your family this weekend. It truly was a great event on so many levels. May we run the race God has placed before us with determination, focus and grace.
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"Eyes fixed on Jesus"--AMEN to that, Martha! Prasie God that as we do, he'll bring us safely to the finish line. / I didn't realize Kyle Kirkwood was from Jupiter, FL. For 13 years we lived in the next community to the south, Juno Beach. A fun little connection!
ReplyDeleteOh, Nancy, that's such a serendipitous connection, indeed! I couldn't help but be so pleased and proud that this young man won the race and was so humble about the actual win. May we all be so humble as we run the race that Jesus has laid before us.
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Well, darn. I missed seeing the flyover and President Trump, but Tom and I were spellbound. (To borrow on olden word.) I, too, love your analogy to our lives' run.
ReplyDeletePS - Have you ever read, "The Art of Racing in the Rain"? Wow, it's so full of symbolism; a metaphor for successfully navigating life's unpredictable twists and triumphs.
No, Myra, I've not read that book, but it certainly sounds like something that would be beneficial to me. Thanks for that recommendation. Our lives are filled with so much unpredictable twists and turns, it comforts me to know that Jesus is looking out for me in ways I could never imagine.
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Gosh I feel terrible, I didn't even know it was on. I am not really into racing. I don't think Rick mentioned it either. I do love America though and boy I love red, white, and blue. Did you get my note it's a girl?
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Sandie, I did get your note about the baby being a girl and I'm so excited for all of you! I know that you are red, white and blue, through and through, as we all should be. God has blessed us with the greatest country in the world and that's a fact.
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I am not a fan of racing, dear Margaret. I really like the Scripture verse you are sharing. Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan either, Linda, as I mentioned, but this absolutely had to be an exception to the rule for me. I thought the scripture verse perfectly applied.
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Oh, and I am so sorry, I meant Martha!!!
DeleteNo apology required, dear Linda. I've made the same mistake at times.
DeleteMartha, I missed seeing this race in the nation's capitol. Love your photos and description about the event. And agree, we all have a race marked out before us by the Lord Himself. May we keep our eyes on the prize, Jesus! God bless.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Karen! May we all run the race marked out for us by Jesus and not let life's obstacles and distractions steer us in the wrong direction. I actually found myself enjoying my afternoon of watching this historic event.
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Boa noite minha querida irmã Martha. Confesso, que também não gosto muito desse tipo de esporte. Quase não vejo. Por causas dos meus compromissos na Igreja. Esse texto de Hebreus é muito lindo. Estamos nessa terra, só de passagem, nosso maior prêmio não é material e sim espiritual. Uma excelente noite de quarta-feira e um grande abraço do seu irmão carioca em Cristo Jesus Evangelista João Luiz.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct about that, Luiz. We are only passing through this earth and our greatest reward is never material, but spiritual. Let's keep our eyes and hearts fixed on Jesus so that we may run our race well.
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Bom dia minha querida irmã Martha. Obrigado pelas felicitações pelo aniversário do Blogger. O Senhor Jesus é o autor e consumador da nossa fé. Espero que esteja tudo bem com a irmã e seus familiares na Geórgia e um grande abraço do seu irmão em Cristo Jesus Evangelista João Luiz.
DeleteThanks for this additional comment here, Luiz. Yes, Happy Birthday to your blog once again!
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theccontemplativecat here. I didn't watch the race, either. after the celebrations preceding the event, we turned the channel Running any race today is impossible for us at this stage of our lives. But to run the race that God has set before us, we will cling to Him and run.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same boat as you are, Susan, when it comes to physicality, but spiritually, we who trust and believe in Jesus have everything we could possibly need to run our races and finish well and strong. May we be an example to others as we run with perseverance.
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This was a good post
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jo-Anne. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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I don't watch racing anymore but this one looked like much fun. I'm trying to catch up on blogs. I remember reading this one but somehow forgot to comment.
ReplyDeleteNo worries, Regina. I just hope you are feeling better, my friend.
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I love how you captured the pageantry of the event while pointing us back to the greater race we’re all running. Celebrating America’s 250th birthday is wonderful, but celebrating the eternal victory in Christ is even greater. Thank you for this uplifting perspective!
ReplyDeleteOur victory in Christ is worthy of the highest honor and celebration there could ever be, Veronica. I'm so glad to know you liked this post.
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Bom dia, Martha
ReplyDeleteDeve ter sido um evento incrível! Lindos versículos de Hebreus 12:1-2. Que possamos correr a corrida rumo à Pátria Celestial, olhando firmemente para Jesus, o Autor e Consumador da nossa fé. Um forte abraço!
I love that phrase "Heavenly Homeland," Lucinalva! May that be our resting place when Jesus gives us the final victory. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith.
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This coming Monday is one that is amazing to me. Our 63rd wedding anniversary. With Jesus it keeps going strong and getting more beautiful. Love your post and the back pointing to the author of Love, strength and peace.
ReplyDeleteHugs and Blessings
Happy Anniversary, Jim! What a milestone you've both reached together. I know you're so thankful that the Lord brought you together and has kept you together all these years.
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I'm not a fan of car racing but I love your comparison to the real race we are running. We must keep our eyes on the path as we navigate this race of our life.
ReplyDeleteYes, we certainly must, Bill. Let us run with faith the course the Lord has set for us.
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You brought out good points here. I didn't even know about the race. I bet it was fun to watch. Yes. No sound!
ReplyDeleteI surprised myself by enjoying it as much as I did, Laura. No sound was great because car racing can be very noisy as can the voices of the commentators. Glad to know you enjoyed the post.
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Boa tarde minha querida irmã Martha. Obrigado pela visita e comentário. O Brasil possui artistas interessantes. Uma excelente tarde de segunda-feira, para você e seus familiares na Geórgia, um grande abraço do seu irmão em Cristo Jesus Evangelista João Luiz.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Luiz! Blessings!
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