Running With A Limp

The best athletes are not immune to injuries. They simply have learned to press through them. I remember having to compete often with an ankle brace on, a shoulder brace on and headgear. Sometimes I’d go on the mat and look like the “Mummy Returns.”

The author of Hebrews (who I think is Paul) compares living life to running a race. He says…

“… let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Did you know that sometimes, we must run the race of life, with a limp? We all have the choices to make as to how we will run.

I want to share with you some things about those times in life, when we need to learn to RUN WITH A LIMP. That’s what I want to talk to you about this morning.

I WONDER HOW MANY OF US HERE TODAY ARE RUNNING THROUGH A LIMP TODAY. DEALING WITH NOT FEELING LIKE SERVING IN THE MINISTRY. NOT FEELING LIKE GOING TO YOUR JOB EVERY DAY AND DEALING WITH THE PEOPLE THERE. NOT FEELING LIKE DEALING WITH THE ILLNESS THAT LIES IN YOUR BODY, OR THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU GO THROUGH WITH YOUR FAMILY.

Someone once said this…

"Whatever comes our way, whatever battle we have raging inside us, we always have a choice. ... It's the choices that make us who we are, and we can always choose to do what's right." - Peter Parker in Spiderman 3

It has been well said, “Life is too short to dwell on the shortcomings.”

The story is told of a couple that has no children, but they have a poodle they treat like a child.

One day, the wife leaves to go on a trip in Europe by herself. She calls home everyday to see how her husband and dog are doing.

One day, while she's in Paris, she calls home. She asks her husband, who lacks tact, how the dog is doing. He answers "The dog is dead." Shocked his wife answers "Couldn't you be more gentle in your answers? Like, the first day, while I'm in Paris, you could tell me that the dog is on the roof. Then, the next day, when I'm in London, you could tell me that the dog fell off the roof. Then, the next day, when I'm in Rome, you could tell me the dog is in the hospital and not doing well. Then, the next day, when I'm in Prague, you could tell me that the dog died. That way I could handle it better."

So he says ok.

Then she asks "How's Mom?" He answers "She's on the roof."

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Sometimes we need to learn to run with a limp. PAUL SAYS TO RUN THE RACE WITH ENDURANCE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT ENDURANCE MEANS? IT MEANS PUSHING ON, EVEN IF AT TIMES, YOU NEED TO RUN WITH A LIMP

IT WAS IN THE WILDERNESS THAT GOD’S PEOPLE OFTEN RAN WITH A LIMP. IT WAS AS DAVID fled from Saul, that he grew as a leader. Those skills as a leader would carry him to become one of the greatest kings in the history of Israel. It was in the wilderness, that DANIEL was thrown into the lion’s den. How many of you know that running with God, Daniel probably ran with a limp in the den, but he overcame? As did ABRAHAM, MOSES, PAUL, and PETER.