26.2

"But the people grew impatient with the long journey." (Numbers 21:4)

26.2 I'm fairly sure that I could never do 26.2. The literal marathon is 26.2 miles of grueling endurance running. Yep I'm positive I couldn't do that. I don't have the endurance, stamina, or skill to run that far.

While the like-minded rest of us can all look at marathon runners and shake our heads like they are crazy, as we eat our chips reclining on our couch, the reality is that we cannot escape the marathon of life. Life is 26.2 miles of "stuff" that requires endurance, stamina, and some skill to maneuver.

My faith and my God drive my world view and drive the way I manage my 26.2. There are times along the way that this marathon looks pretty ugly ... filled with --- well it's just ugly. There are times when I definitely grow impatient with the long journey.

God calls us to persevere. As we do, that develops our character which in turn gives us hope (cf. Romans 5.4). I think in the 26.2 of the desert wilderness, God's people had lost hope, it affected their character (research their choices) and they then grew weary.

The question isn't can you 26.2 ... you will. The question is how will you handle it. How will I? When we hit the proverbial wall, how will we respond, how will we react?

Hope, character, perseverance!