Fast Day 13
Mountain of Influence: Media
Day 1 – Worship
Hebrews 12:1-2
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, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith...
Ryan Hall is a retired long-distance runner who holds the U.S. record in the half marathon. It takes years of training and discipline to compete at the level that Ryan did, and there were mountains that Ryan had to overcome.
An excerpt from The New York Times in 2012 captured where Hall chose to place his focus and worship:
Underpinning his running is his faith. The marathon is so isolating in its training...that many athletes seek a purpose larger than themselves...For some, it is their families or an escape from poverty. For others, it is their religion.
During the 2011 Chicago Marathon, Hall began singing praise to the Lord. Freestyling, he called it.
“Come Lord Jesus, come,” Hall and another runner would sing as they ran. “Come Holy Spirit, come.”
After finishing second at the 2011 United States half-marathon championships, Hall went to drug testing, a standard procedure. Asked on a form to list his coach, he wrote: God.
You have to list the name of a real person, a doping official said.
“He is a real person,” Hall responded.
Who is our source of purpose? Where is our focus? Most Americans spend well over two hours a day on social media and television but are left empty. Let’s tune out the mountain of media and let God be our coach. He is a real person, and He invites us to worship Him, for He is worthy of our praise (even freestyling).
Your Turn
Prayer:
Father help me to run the race with You as my focus. I choose to worship You and drown out all other distractions or obstacles that seek to draw me away from Your presence. Come Holy Spirit, come. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
Fast Thoughts:
When you feel the temptation to tune Him out and tune something else in, turn on a worship song, look at the glory of His creation, and praise His holy name.
Song: