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Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…
Hebrews 12:1
Reflect
We can learn a lot by looking at the animal kingdom. Even though I’m not a cat person, the “big cats” of Africa and Asia have always fascinated me. The lion has incredible night vision that enables it to hunt better. The tiger combines beauty with strength and speed. The leopard can climb straight up a tall tree with a fresh kill in its teeth. The jaguar has the strongest jaw of all of the cats with a bite force of more than 2,000 pounds.
And then there’s the cheetah.
It’s amazing that no one has ever named a car after this cat because it’s the fastest land creature in the animal kingdom. The cheetah can reach more than 60 miles per hour in just three seconds, and its speed tops out around 70 miles per hour. That speed, however, doesn’t last very long. A cheetah can only run its fastest for maybe 1,500 feet before it has to slow down.
A lot of Christians are spiritual cheetahs. They race into tasks with the greatest of zeal and energy, but then they aren’t able to sustain their efforts beyond a short period of time. God’s call to us may require a sprint at times, but more often He wants us to run hard for the long haul.
As a comparison to the cheetah, think about the American antelope. It’s still very fast, clocking in at a top speed of 55 miles per hour over short distances. But the antelope is a distance animal. It can run up to 35 miles an hour for several miles.
So, spiritually speaking, are you a cheetah or an antelope? Do you speed quickly into things the Lord has put on your heart, only to fizzle out after a brief time? Or do you run with the Lord’s strength for long distances? The Christian life itself is a marathon, so that requires us to pace ourselves not for a day or a week or a year, but for a lifetime. But within that, there will be tasks that the Lord puts on your heart. Yes, the cheetah is beautiful and people are in awe of its strength and speed. No one much thinks about the antelope as a creature they desire to emulate. But when it comes to getting things done for the Lord, that’s the animal that better portrays how we will finish the race.
Today, regardless of what the Lord has called you to do, remember these two creatures. Ask the Lord for the energy to start, and maybe even to start quickly. But ask Him more for the strength to finish the task ahead. Our ultimate success is never determined by an impressive start but by the determination to finish the job.
Reflection copyright © 2021 Doug DeBolt and Charles Fulton.
