September 11 Home Communicator – “Running the Race”
Welcome to the 2018/2019 school year! What a great start! God blessed us with a smooth, albeit warm, transition back into school! With the first two weeks complete, we look forward to developing a sense of routine. While I know God has promised to always be with us and take care of our needs, I am continually awestruck how this plays out in all experiences and moments of our lives.
The theme for the school year is “Running the Race” which is based on Proverbs 4:25-26 —-
“Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet,
and be steadfast in all your ways.”
In the first chapel at both the middle school and the elementary school, we introduced this theme by comparing running a physical race with running a spiritual race. Whether an athlete or not, we are all familiar with running and racing. God uses this analogy in His Word to teach us a lesson of faith and life by comparing it to something we understand from our own experience.
At the middle school chapel Mrs. VanTil, Nurturing Faith Coordinator, spoke about the fact that God has already chosen us to be on His team (I Peter 2:9) and that means He is calling us not to be bystanders, but to get into the race. Joining this race is a choice that we each individually need to make. She also talked about the fact that this race is not about winning or losing because it has already been won by Jesus through His death and resurrection. Our race’s goal is to strive to be like Him; to live our lives in such a way that we close the gap between us and Jesus. So every day we need to ask ourselves – “How can I be more like Jesus today than I was yesterday?”. Lastly, she reminded us that in order to run this race we need to train to do the work of a spiritual champion. The students were then challenged to pick a ‘training goal’ (see below) so that they will commit to being faithful and intentional this school year; the goal that will help them be more like Jesus and close the gap.
- Reading God’s Word
- Time in prayer and talking with God
- Devotions
- Talking with others about God
- Spending time with other believers/church worship
- Asking questions
- Service to others
We eagerly look forward to finding out what more God has planned for us to learn as the school year progresses and for the opportunities to continue ‘running the race’ of faith. You, parents, are part of the great cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1). We continue to covet your prayers. Please specifically pray that we look straight ahead on our race and not let distraction sidetrack us; that we stay locked in on Christ; and that we give careful thought to the paths of our feet, to know where we are going, and to go there on purpose – so we can be more like Jesus every day.
Running the Race together,
Mary Broene, Middle School Principal
