The first half of my run is nice. Bikers pass me by, and I pray for them. My mind returns often to direct connection with God. At times I focus on breathing the name of Yahweh. Yah Weh… Yah Weh.
But I must be honest; half the time my mind wanders. I catch myself in crazy day dreams… like that biker under the bridge talking on the phone. Why is he talking on the phone? Maybe he is a terrorist planning an attack on the nuclear plant? Is he planning his strategy to get vehicles loaded with bombs past the massive line of white rocks? For five minutes my mind continues to play out a plethora of terrorist attack scenarios. Ridiculous.
Running ought to be the one activity where I can experience “praying continuously”, but I have not been able to do it.
I reach the turning point in my run, a giant oak just off the road to the right. I gulp down the ½ bottle of water I had stashed by the tree, and turn with my back to the breeze for the last half. I’m going to try to spend the entire hour praying continuously. I start by reciting John 15 out loud. “Remain in me”, Jesus says. I spend a couple miles just pondering what Jesus might mean by that phrase, “remain in me”. Stay connected, remember me, think of me, talk to me, be filled with me, live in me, abide in me… I sing the song, “Abide in me”. “I stretch out my hands to send you a sign that I want to abide in You.”
Another repeated phrase from this passage jumps out at me, “bear fruit”. What kind of fruit? Am I bearing fruit? Would I see more fruit if I were to “remain” in you more? I begin to pray through the fruit of the Spirit. Love (10 strides), joy (10 strides), peace (10 strides)… Lord, bear this fruit in my life.
Before I know it the hour is up; Stretch, drink down some water, and climb into my old red truck. It feels great to have actually prayed continuously for a full hour while running without my mind wandering. It is possible!
Posted on
Sat, May 2, 2009
by Chris Spitters