Psalm 147:10 (and 11)

This is not a race time or a bib number.  This verse came from a search I did this morning.  Between my bike and elliptical workout two days ago and my swim with the dolphins (with bad form and fins) yesterday, my calves have been very tense since we got back on board and headed for home yesterday.  So, this morning before I ran, I first searched calf in the King James version of the Bible I have on my iPhone.  Most of what came up was things about a molten calf or a fatted calf.  Those are interesting to ponder but didn’t speak to me and were, of course, about a different kind of calf.

So, I searched for legs.  What came up was Psalm 147:10 and into 11:

“He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh  not pleasure in the legs of a man.  The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.”

Why does this speak to me?  No matter how much I train, God does not care whether I qualify for Boston.  Unless by qualifying for Boston I use all the gifts I have been given and learn and share important lessons along the way.

God does not care about the strength of my body but about the strength of my will and my spirit as I try to follow the path that has been set for me.

God does not care about how fast I can run but about how fast I can learn the lessons of being a good follower and use them to make this world as much like God’s kingdom as possible.

God does not care how far I can run, but how far I go to serve others.

So, rather than feeling sorry or hurt, I simply push ahead.  Taking care of myself.  Caring for others.  And following God as best I can.  To “hope in God’s mercy” as I lead my life and try to correct any missteps along the way.

Psalm 61 (2-5)

My bib number was 61 for the Lower Potomac River Marathon.  On my Facebook page the day I posted my bib number, a friend immediately mentioned Psalm 61.  Here are verses 2 through 5 from the New American Bible, Revised Edition:

"Hear my cry, O God,
listen to my prayer!
From the ends of the earth I call;
my heart grows faint.
Raise me up, set me on a rock,
for you are my refuge,

a tower of strength against the foe.
Let me dwell in your tent forever,
take refuge in the shelter of your wings."

First, it is interesting that this should come up now. My bib number for the 11K in Australia was 2161 and I had never blogged about it.  I had actually thought about the fact that the last two digits were the same when I got the bib number.  The 11K was not my best race ever for a variety of reasons, and I ran a 7:23 pace.  On Saturday night last week when I got my bib, I thought about how cool it would be to run the same pace.  I almost achieved that with a 7:25 pace on Sunday.  So, there was some connection that seems like more than pure randomness.

In any case, about the Psalm.  There are lots of times during a marathon when I might want to cry out.  Not like Jesus on the cross, "My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?"  Because the marathon--starting and continuing to the end--is my choice.  But, it still hurts.  And there are times when it feels very hard to get my stride.

Listen to my prayer--prayers of thanksgiving (that I can do it), prayers of praise (for God's goodness that I got to see in St. Mary's county), and prayers of intercession (for my health and the health of all my fellow runners).  And, as a Catholic, praying for St. Sebastian's intercession as a go between to God as well.  And looking up to St. Sebastian (and St. Irene's) examples of God's love and the use of God's gifts.

From the ends of the earth I will call--well, in a course that has four out and backs, I'm not sure I'd say I was going to the ends of the earth, but there are a lot of different places I called from.  And, thank goodness my heart did not grow faint, but it was stressed.

"Raise me up, set me on a rock,"--something I might ask for at the bottom of every rolling hill.

The remainder--God is always my refuge.  When I choose to run marathons, I remember that I am using God's gifts for me and as an example for others--from my kids to fellow runners.  God is a tower of strength. There is no foe in a marathon, but needing and using strength is, of course, a key.  When I think of taking refuge in the shelter of your wings, I picture clouds making it slightly overcast after a sunny start. That didn't happen on Saturday and there are many wages to take refuge in the shelter of God.  Taking refuge in God is critical after a run as I celebrate the gifts and give nothing but thanks and praise for all God has done for me.