Running the Race

 

But let me run loose and free,
    celebrating God’s great work,
Every bone in my body laughing, singing, “God,
    there’s no one like you. Psalm 35:9-10

This verse gives another aspect of what it means to run the race. It’s something like when we see lambs in spring begin to run around the fields as they discover they are free to enjoy their environment. It’s also like when children celebrate their freedom from study in the classroom as they enjoy running around the playground.

There is also a sense in our spiritual lives, even though our physical legs will no longer allow us run around, yet in our hearts we can see God’s work and feel an elation that we need to express.

Billy Bray, the renowned Cornish preacher, found religion after hitting rock bottom (almost literally).  He was a poor miner and a riotous drunk and it was a near fatal accident at work that stunned him into thinking about his life.  Quite suddenly and to the astonishment of those around him he found God and became a preacher for the next 43 years.

But the main reason that Billy Bray is still remembered  is that he was renowned for breaking into spontaneous singing and dancing in the middle of his sermons.

He would say “He has made me glad and no one can make me sad. He makes me shout and no one can make me doubt…”

In fact as well as his happy feet, Billy also became renowned for his enthusiastic little sayings:”If they were to put me into a barrel, I would shout glory out through the bunghole!”.

When someone told him that they were less than impressed with his singing voice he is said to have replied:   “God would just as soon hear a crow as a nightingale. I’ll sing all I want to sing and if I shut my mouth, my feet would still shout. Every time my left foot hits the ground, it says ‘Amen!’ And every time my right foot hits the ground it says, ‘Glory’ and I just can’t help myself.”

In our world where the media delights in negative news perhaps as followers of Christ we need to take a leaf out of Billy Bray’s life book.

Heavenly and Most Gracious Father, I come before you in prayer, to magnify and glorify your precious name and to give all the praise, honour, and glory you deserve. I humbly request your overflowing blessings upon our lives that I might run loose and free, celebrating your great work, with every bone in my body laughing, singing, “God, there’s no one like you.” Amen