OK. I ran only one race this winter before the marathon on Sunday--and when I ran that one I didn't link either my bib number or my time to a Bible verse. This time, I am going to link both my bib number (in a later entry) and my time. My time, as everyone who reads my blog regularly knows by now, was 3:14:25. My link to scripture will be form the Old Testament this time: 1 Kings 3:14-25. (And, I know the 1 was not part of my time, but this really is the best verse.) From the Catholic approved New American Bible-Revised Edition
"And if you walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and commandments, as David your father did, I will give you a long life. Solomon awoke; it was a dream! He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, sacrificed burnt offerings and communion offerings, and gave a feast for all his servants.
Later, two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. One woman said: “By your leave, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth in the house while she was present. On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. We were alone; no one else was in the house with us; only the two of us were in the house. This woman’s son died during the night when she lay on top of him. So in the middle of the night she got up and took my son from my side, as your servant was sleeping. Then she laid him in her bosom and laid her dead son in my bosom. I rose in the morning to nurse my son, and he was dead! But when I examined him in the morning light, I saw it was not the son I had borne.” The other woman answered, “No! The living one is my son, the dead one is yours.” But the first kept saying, “No! the dead one is your son, the living one is mine!” Thus they argued before the king. Then the king said: “One woman claims, ‘This, the living one, is my son, the dead one is yours.’ The other answers, ‘No! The dead one is your son, the living one is mine.’” The king continued, “Get me a sword.” When they brought the sword before the king, he said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other.”
"And if you walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and commandments, as David your father did, I will give you a long life. Solomon awoke; it was a dream! He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, sacrificed burnt offerings and communion offerings, and gave a feast for all his servants.
Later, two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. One woman said: “By your leave, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth in the house while she was present. On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. We were alone; no one else was in the house with us; only the two of us were in the house. This woman’s son died during the night when she lay on top of him. So in the middle of the night she got up and took my son from my side, as your servant was sleeping. Then she laid him in her bosom and laid her dead son in my bosom. I rose in the morning to nurse my son, and he was dead! But when I examined him in the morning light, I saw it was not the son I had borne.” The other woman answered, “No! The living one is my son, the dead one is yours.” But the first kept saying, “No! the dead one is your son, the living one is mine!” Thus they argued before the king. Then the king said: “One woman claims, ‘This, the living one, is my son, the dead one is yours.’ The other answers, ‘No! The dead one is your son, the living one is mine.’” The king continued, “Get me a sword.” When they brought the sword before the king, he said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other.”
What does this say to me. Well, it is all about Solomon's following God--he was all in. This is a theme I've discussed a lot lately.
It also shows Solomon's wisdom. The story ends, of course, with the prostitute who was actually the child's mother agreeing to give the child away rather than seeing the child cut in half and Solomon recognizing that she was the mother. Why is this important with respect to this marathon?
First, about qualifying for Boston, I really can use the serenity prayer once again. I have to accept what I cannot change. I cannot change the rules about how to get into Boston. I cannot change how other people do. I cannot change who chooses to register. Did it take courage to change and improve my own time? Some may say so. Others may call it other things. But separating what I change (whatever is required) from things others have control over is an important step.
Second, during the race, my splits show the wisdom of running a consistent and not too fast first half.
Finally, the entire reading is simply an overall reflection of the importance of (as it begins) walking in Gods ways. This time, it was more running in his ways. But, regardless, the key was that I used the gifts that God has given me, I felt God's pleasure, and I have been able to bring a message of hope and accomplishment to those with whom I run in Back on My Feet.
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