Born to Run

In 2009 Christopher McDougall published the best seller “Born to Run.”  McDougall found that numerous physiologists have learned through research that God made you to run.  From the fact that we walk on 2 feet vs. 4, to your bone structure, and how our bodies process oxygen and nutrients, you were made to run.  If your palms are getting sweaty just thinking about strapping on some shoes and pounding the pavement; don’t worry I am not going to tell you that scripture mandates distance running.  As a runner myself, I can tell you there is a feeling you get when it’s time to run.  You can feel it deep in your bones and your soul.  It’s like all of creation is  calling for you to run.  The sun is warm, it’s 65 degrees, and a light breeze, just try to stop me from going out for a run.

Most of you have had that feeling before as well.  Not a feeling to run down the street, but a feeling that is hard to place your finger on.  You felt it in a worship service during that one song, at the bedside as your child or Grandchild was born, standing on the top of the ski run as the sun crests over the Rocky Mountains, and when you get the phone call with the unexpected and sad news.  It was a feeling to run.  A reaction of your soul telling your body it’s time to run, to run to God.  From the beginning of creation we hear that God made people in a special way unlike anything else in creation, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26)  God made you with a place in your soul made for Him, a longing for relationship with God, to spend time in prayer, in worship, and for meaning and purpose.  God made His people to run, to run to Him when they are overjoyed, or sad; when you are confused or elated at all God has revealed to you; when you know it’s God who you need to run to, or when you are not sure what to do.  God made you to run.

Pastor Bill

Discussion Questions

  1. Think of a situation recently when you had that feeling to run.  What did you do?
  2. When do you typically run to God, or when do you run away?