The Well- September 17, 2020

Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing. Scripture – “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.”- 1 Corinthjians 9:24 Insight: In the technological […]

Written By Doug Hall

On September 17, 2020
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Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.

ScriptureDo 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.”- 1 Corinthjians 9:24

Insight: In the technological age we now live in, it seems we are running faster and faster but it is only leading to exhaustion. Whose expectations are we trying to live up to? Do we feel like we have balance in our life or is the whole goal just to go faster, so we can avoid having to deal with any deep feelings or take time for the contemplation our soul yearns for? If we did slow down and unplug from the grid, we might quickly realize that going faster in our life rarely leads to increased satisfaction. In fact, it often leads to a kind of numbness as we realize that the ghosts we are chasing out there in the cyber world never really satisfy. We have devices that allow us instant access to tons of information, but little life-altering truth. They allow us to be always on, always connected, when in fact what we really need is rest. To rest in the power of God so we can rejuvenate our soul is what is most needed. Matthew 11:28 clearly states the offer that Jesus has laid on the table when it says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” See, we must realize that it is not just our bodies and minds that are exhausted, but also our souls. The “noise” of the connected world can drown out our senses that need to be refreshed in order for us to lead a life of lasting joy and peace.


The world is going through a time of great upheaval right now. People are being encouraged to “social distance” from each other when in fact we need each other’s company and companionship more than ever. Trying to run faster isn’t going to make the pandemic of any of our other problems disappear. According to Pastor Rick Warren, we need a heavy dose of “endurance, encouragement, perspective and perseverance” right now in order to run the race of life we are in until the finish line. The scripture above in 1 Corinthians 9:24 uses the analogy of life as much more of a marathon that a sprint. Tough times like the ones we find ourselves living in now tend to bring out the characteristics found in the warriors and heroes of the Bible. Courage, selflessness, dependence on God,and hope in His promises led to amazing victories for huge underdogs like David, Moses, Gideon, Joshua, Esther, Rahab and many more. You can rightly look at history and surmise that heroes are always born in times of great adversity. No purple hearts are awarded in peacetime. God may be testing your commitment and perseverance to Him, and that requires you to slow down, not speed up. Patience has been redefined in the technology age in terms of minutes, but in God’s universe it’s always longer, usually in terms of years. Gold is refined in the fires of affliction. Likewise, God may be refining us for bigger purposes, but if you are running too fast, you might just miss the best plan He has laid out for you. Endurance is a more significant biblical quality than speed. The race goes to the one who endures to the end, not the one who goes so fast they never take time to listen to what God is trying to teach them.

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