Going the Extra Mile

“Whoever compels you to go one mile with him, go with him two miles.”

Matthew 5:41

Every year Palestine hosts a marathon in Bethlehem called, Palestine Marathon Freedom of Movement. This morning my team and I got to run it. I ran the half marathon with a guy named Samaan who I didn’t know would later on become my new friend. When we reached about mile 9 I didn’t see Samaan beside me. He had stopped. I continued to run but I felt in my heart that tug you get, when you know you have a decision to make. My one decision was to keep running and my other was to turn around..

I turned around and I told Samaan, “You can do this, I believe in you.” And then I reached out my hand and gave him a fist bump. Once we reached our 11th mile, I could see Samaan was tired but I knew he had the strength to finish. Turning around, I said to Samaan, “You can do this, I believe in you.” With God’s strength, Samaan and I both got to cross the finish line together.

I look back on this morning and I think, “What if I hadn’t turned around?”

If I hadn’t turned around, I would’ve never gotten to know Samaan. I would’ve never known that his name means “I hear.” I would’ve never realized how many things we have in common. I would’ve never known he is 19, is in a gap year, is going far away next fall for college, and is a Christian who I can see deeply loves God and others. If I had not turned around.. I would have missed seeing God.

After the race was over I started thinking about my relationship with God and I thought, “How many times does God turn around for me?” Yes He is always going ahead of us and He is always there behind us, but He is also always there coming along beside us. He wants to be with us.

When I receive God’s grace, it’s like I can picture God turning around and He sees that I’m tired and He comes alongside me and I hear Him say, “You can do this, I believe in you.”

To be honest I didn’t know if I wanted to share this. I don’t like being seen for what I do, but rather I want to look at this knowing that it’s not about me. It’s about God’s work, and I want to share with the people in my life what He has been doing.

God turns around for us each and every day and says, “You can do this, I believe in you.” And He reaches out with the holes in His hands giving us a fist bump:)

Caili

Prayer Requsts:

⁃ Next week we start volunteering at two different new places. Prayers that God will use me to be a blessing to the children and adults I will be with.

⁃ Strength for my team and I, as we have reached our halfway mark to continue to lean on God and allow Him to challenge us and grow us for the remainder of our trip.