Turn Your Eyes

I just completed my morning exercise. Only because I have the day off. I do not usually exercise in the morning.

I left the house with a plan.

1. I would walk the first block to warm up.

2. I would run from the first break in the median to the second break in the median.

3. I would walk from the second break in the median to the third break.

4. I would continue to alternate running and walking until I arrived home.

5, My goal: to move at 4 mph.

I was doing well. Cardio trainer on my cellphone was keeping me up to date on my progress. I was warmed up. My breathing had gotten under control. My hamstring was not hurting. My left foot had not gone to sleep. I was marveling at the wonder of God's world. I was moving at 4.1 mph. I was pretty pleased with myself.

My cellphone alerted me to a text message and I slowed down to a walk. I read my message. I responded. I hit the wrong button and my workout program paused. I tapped my phone again and heard:

WORKOUT COMPLETE!!!!!!!!!!!

Nooooooooooooo my workout was not complete. I still had at least 1 mile to go. I had not burned all the calories I wanted to burn. I had not. . . . . . . .

My warm muscles WERE getting cool. I started to run. My excitement WAS gone. I slowed down. My hamstring WAS hurting. I started to walk. My goal. Well, my goal of having a pace of at least 4 mph WAS not achieved.

As I WALKED home I reflected on what had gone wrong. I RESPONDED to a distraction that did not need a response. And I asked myself,

"How often do I TURN MY EYES away from the race God has set before me because of a distraction"?

These lyrics came to my mind:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the Light of his Glory and Grace

Did I commit a sin by answering my text message? NO!! But it did give me a LIFE LESSON for my day.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

I pray as I run through this day following God wherever HE is leading me, that I will run to get the prize. The prize of keeping my eyes on Him so that I will bring glory to His name.