Limping Across the Line

What the Darlington 10K Taught Me About Church

Taking my place near High Row for Sunday’s Darlington 10K wasn’t exactly part of my meticulously planned athletic strategy. Truthfully, it was a last-minute impulse decision realising that I was available to run it, also the street we live in is completely blocked off by the road closures, making driving to church impossible.

My preparation? Not much. And to make matters worse, I rolled my ankle on one of the very few training runs I managed to squeeze in beforehand. That meant I hadn’t run more than four miles in the entire lead-up to race day.

For large stretches of the route, mainly the second half, the run was utterly unenjoyable. My ankle was protesting, my legs felt like lead, the sun was beating down, and my single personal challenge quickly became just finishing the route without stopping.

When you’re under-prepared and hurting, 10 kilometres feels like a very long way. But what kept my feet moving when everything in me wanted to stop was the people of Darlington.

It was the drumming group in Stanhope Park, giving me a surge of adrenaline just when my energy was draining away in the second lap. It was the kids standing on the kerb holding out their hands for high-fives.

It was total strangers offering sweets and orange slices, or simply clapping and shouting words of encouragement as I passed. That atmosphere transformed what would have been a miserable slog into something that kept me going.  And there is no doubt that this is true for everyone who took part in the race.

But I made it! I crossed the finish line without stopping and it was a great reflection of the reality of being a disciple of Jesus.

In Hebrews 12:1–2, the writer uses the picture of a long-distance race to describe our journey of faith: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

I would love us to reflect on the fact that scripture never asks us to run this race alone. The Christian life was designed from the very beginning to be lived in community.

Following Jesus can be hard at times but it was never meant to be a solo sport. Things can happen that we didn’t expect, it can be tough some weeks to just keep going.

When you are struggling, hurting, or limping along, the call isn't to pull away or hide your exhaustion.

The call on all of us is to keep running the race, with our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus, in the community of Jesus. We need each other. We need the voices on the sidelines reminding us who we belong to when our own strength runs out.

To pray for us, to encourage us along.

This is what the local church is meant to be: a vibrant, active community where nobody is left to limp across the finish line alone.

So, where do you find yourself today?

If you are struggling or carrying an injury, don't try to run this stretch in isolation. Let your church family gather round you. Let people around you help you help carry the weight and encourage you to keep your eyes on Jesus.

And if you are running well right now, how can you cheer others on? Look around. Who in your life is slowing down, struggling? Who in our church is carrying an injury? Who needs a text, a prayer, a coffee or a listening ear, or just someone to remind them that they are loved and that they can make it.

Let’s not be a church of quiet spectators. Let's be the kind of community that relentlessly carries one another towards the finish line.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day…” (2 Timothy 4.7-8).