For everyone with flabby legs…

A mile-long hill loomed ahead. I heard His voice:

Keep running. 

It was the last of my 3 legs in the Hood-to-Coast 200-mile relay race last weekend. I’d been awake for 35 hours. My quads were burning and the sun was beating.

Ahead of me everyone was walking. 

Keep running.

I knew the route. After one more mile of hill I knew there were almost 3 miles of downhill. I just had to get up that hill and then it’d be easier. I kept running.

After rounding a corner I saw a man ahead, running. He was a tall young man, his legs cut and muscular. I stared at his legs. He looked like a runner.

I looked like a 30-something mommy with flabby legs, sucking wind. 

And then he stopped. And walked. 

What? If he can’t run up this there’s no way I can!

Keep running. 

God, have you seen this guy’s legs? Yeah. Super strong. Have you seen my legs? Yeah. Super flabby.

Keep running. 

Excuse me, God? I’m tired and if this guy is walking there’s no way I can run it. I mean, look at how strong his legs are!

His voice so clear:

It doesn’t matter how strong you are; it’s how much you want it. 

Did I want it? Was it worth it? And I don’t mean just running to the top of the hill, I mean all of it. Obeying God and trusting Him and doing whatever HE says because He is God and I am His daughter. All of it: walking by faith and putting one foot in front of the other and obeying God because He is God.

Did I want it?

Do I want it?

Do I want to run this race of faith? Do I want to trust Him and believe Him and just do whatever He says to do? Do I really want to fear Him and obey Him and wait on Him?

Because that’s what He really wants from me. That’s what brings Him joy.

His voice on that mile-long hill was an echo of something He’d said long ago:

He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.

The LORD favors those who fear Him,
Those who wait for His lovingkindness. (Psalm 147:10-11)

Every single day the enemy reminds me that Jeff and I are nothing special. Every day He reminds me that there is a mountain ahead of us and we are 30-something housewives with flabby legs sucking wind and there are bulging-muscle marathoners out there and Who are we to think that we can run up this hill?

I must respond: We are those who want it. We want to fear Him and wait for His lovingkindness.

That’s what delights Him. 

Not buff legs.

After I ran to the top of that hill, even though I was all alone I threw my arms up in the air and cheered, Woohoo!! Thank you, Jesus! And then I cruised down the hill, came around the corner, and spotted a girl up ahead. She ran with a limp. As I got closer my eyes filled with tears:

She only had one leg.

A tear slipped down my cheek as I passed her, turning to look in her face and shout, “You are awesome! You are my hero! You’re doing great and we’re almost there! Hang in there, sister!!”

Her face shown with such joy, such glow, she must have known this truth:

Whether you have buff legs, flabby legs, or one leg, you need to know: It isn’t your legs that matter. God delights in those who fear Him. Who trust Him. Who wait on Him. When the hill is long and Satan’s accusations are loud, remind yourself again:

He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.

The LORD favors those who fear Him,
Those who wait for His lovingkindness. (Psalm 147:10-11)

Waiting for Him, with you. I pray this gives you hope today. Thanks for reading.