As I am writing this my wife is watching “The Amazing Race.” She tries not to miss. I have never been interested. Just getting to this stage of life seems to me to be “The Amazing Race.” A television program’s contrived difficulties cannot begin to match the real challenges of life. For most of us the first major challenge is being born; however, since we can’t remember it, it hardly counts. If one spends childhood in a fairly stable environment the next major challenge is surviving the early teen years. Who would ever want to be fourteen again? It is a time filled with uncertainty and so many changes. Then comes the twenties. For my generation that was a great time. It was time to finish school and embark on a career. It was exciting. Since the social clock has changed and the average age of marriage is 28 this generation faces some serious moral challenges. Raising children is a joyful challenge. Safely getting them through school and into their time of independence has its hair-raising moments. Changing careers can make one sweat. Most of us do that along the way. Living through the present economic crisis is presenting major challenges for millions. Life is an amazing race.
Since I have come most of the way I feel qualified to pass on a serious tip. Don’t try to do it alone. Jesus promises He will be with us the entire journey if we ask. Since He is the Light, the Way, the Bread of Life, the Water of Life and the Resurrection, it just seems foolish to run the race without Him. Paul was content with his race because he ran the latter part with Jesus. Please check out I Corinthians 9:24.
Written by Roger Bothwell on March 9, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org