Life is heavy. It weighs me down. The day-to-day grind. The battles. Demands. Needs. Brokenness. Sometimes I just want to get away for a little while.

So I strapped on my tennis shoes and went out for a run. It was evening, nearing sunset. I put my earbuds in and cranked up my worship music.

I stepped onto the road and prayed, “Lord, can I run with You?”

I pause. Who do I think I am asking God if I can run with Him? I am dust.

For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:14

 How can I keep pace with Him? I’ll never keep up. I’m out of shape. I’m not a skilled runner.

 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:29

Then I feel Him. His presence envelopes me.

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. James 4:8.

I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. Proverbs 8:17

I’m humbled. What kind of God is this who would let me run with Him?

I run with purpose now. Not fast, but slow and steady. I’m looking–seeking. I look up at the sky. I know my purpose. I know why I’m running.

Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 1 Corinthians 9:26

I know what I am looking for. I’m looking for Him.

I want to be with Him.

A cool breeze blows on my face. I inhale the cool air and breathe in its fragrance. My very breath is a gift from God.

Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; Acts 17:25

The sky is now a rainbow of colors bursting from behind the clouds. I run toward the sky. I want a better view. Trees block my vantage point. Birds are lined up in rows on the electric lines.

All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name. Psalm 66:4

The birds have front row seats. I wish I was with them. It’s like fireworks on the Fourth of July. The birds are watching. They’re waiting for the finale.

We marvel at what artists can do. We are awed by their craft. We pay big money to hang their work in our living rooms. Are they gifted? Indeed! But Who has gifted them? Their pieces are only replicas of what has already been created. Only One can create. No one is an artist like our God. There is no one like Him.

“Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.” Psalm 89:8

I don’t speak. I look. I listen. I seek. “Overwhelmed” by Big Daddy Weave plays in my ears and I turn up the volume.

I see the work of Your Hands

Galaxies spin in a Heavenly dance oh God

All that You are is so overwhelming

I hear the sound of Your Voice

All at once it’s a gentle and thundering noise oh God

All that You are is so overwhelming

I delight myself in You

Captivated by Your beauty

I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You…

 

I get it. I see why Satan fights so hard to keep us from this–this beautiful intimacy with God. I see why he fears it so much. Why he does everything he can to distract us from finding our complete and total fulfillment in Him. It’s a high like nothing else. This is not a runner’s high-it’s so much more.

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4.

When we delight ourselves in Him, He becomes our hearts’ desire. He is the prize. He becomes the reward.

After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Genesis 15:1

 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 Corinthians 9:24.

I want the prize. I want Him.

But there are things I have to let go of in order to run with God.

“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.” Hebrews 12:1 

I must throw off things that are slowing me down. I open my hands and release. I confess my sin. I let go of my wants. My desires. My dreams. My plans. My to-do list. I let them fall to the ground and keep moving forward.

I asked the right question. We don’t ask God to run with us. We ask if we can run with God.

He’s looking for runners who are willing to run with Him on His path.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

This isn’t my race. This life isn’t about me. He’s the One calling the shots. He’s mapping the course. If I want this race to count, I must run His route.

He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30.

After we let go of some things, we must pick something else up.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

We run faster and farther carrying the cross.

 

I can see the sky through a break in the trees. Like Moses, I dare to ask, “Lord, please show me your glory,” Exodus 33:18.

I hesitate. I am a broken vessel. A jar of clay. Moses was only allowed to glimpse God’s glory from the cleft of a rock. He couldn’t handle all of God’s glory. And yet because of Calvary, God doesn’t just want to just show us His glory, He wants His glory to dwell within us. Our glory is His Son.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  2 Corinthians 4:6-7

God, I run into Your arms

Unashamed because of mercy

I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

I know the power of Your Cross

Forgiven and free forever You’ll be my God

And all that You’ve done is so overwhelming

I delight myself in You

In the Glory of Your Presence

I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

lyrics from “Overwhelmed” by Big Daddy Weave

 

The view is clear and I look up at the breathtaking sunset in front of me. I had the best view after all. A front row seat to His majesty! The birds weren’t the only ones who were witnesses of the Creator’s masterpiece tonight.

That’s what is so amazing about God. He gives the best seats in the house to anyone who wants them–to anyone who desires to run with Him.

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

 “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

 

Thank you for reading. 🙂 If you click on the title above and go to the main page of the blog, you can watch the “Overwhelmed” music video by Big Daddy Weave. Take time to worship our wonderful, beautiful, glorious God today. Run this race of life with Him. It’s worth it. HE is worth it!