"Faltering Footwork"

“FALTERING FOOTWORK”

Disaster struck on third turn before the last lap. Mary Decker got crossed up by Zolla Bud and down she went. Not only did she fall, but her dreams of Olympic greatness, a shot at a gold medal and quite possibly a fortune in endorsements went out the window. Within seconds Olympic officials and her teammates rushed to her side to calm her sorrow, but nothing could stop the tears of disappointment. The dream was not faded; it was gone. The hope of glory was not even a remote possibility. The field had passed her by, and she was left behind huddled in hurt.

In the seventh grade I made my debut in track in the 800 meters. At 4’11” and 88 pounds I wasn’t much of a fearsome foe at the starting line, but Coach Nutter thought this would be the best place for a guy of my expertise. In my first race ever I made it through the first lap and was a long way from first place and an even longer way from the finish line when I noticed a barn on the backstretch. I thought it would be much easier for me to skip the second lap, settle in behind the barn, wait a little while and then walk over to the finish line. I did just that. It couldn’t have been more than sixty seconds later when I heard the jingling of keys and a voice calling my name. It was Mr. Nutter. He was holding up his pants with one hand and swinging his belt with the other. “Rhoades, if I find you behind that barn, you’ve had it.” I looked in panic and decided it was time to get back in the race. I hit the track, and he chased me all the way to the finish line. I’m sure that my first lap ranked as one of the slowest in track history, but my second one was close to a world record. When I finished all he said was, “Don’t you ever quite on me again.” I never did! For me the tripping threats came from burning lungs and coming in last, for Mary Decker Slaney it was an intruder.

Tripping threats are nothing new. As a matter of fact, hundreds of years ago there was a follower of Christ who understood the problem of outside forces that cause our footsteps to falter. Paul, the apostle, wrote to his friends in a church in Galatia the following words, “You were running a good race. Who cut on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”

What about you? When was the last time someone (or something) cut in on you, knocking you out of the race? Was it a divorce? Abuse? A layoff? A good deal gone bad? Or something else? The list is endless. And the hurt seems just as infinite.

It’s time you learned what Mary Decker Slaney and I both learned. “You were called to be free.” To run again. To get back in the race.

The first step to having the wind rush through your hair again is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Now He’s not going to chase you with a belt screaming your name, but He is waiting with an outstretched hand to pull you to your feet, brush away the tears and put you back on the track.

Have you been knocked off your feet? Get back in the race and run to the finish?