This is a reblog it is from HERE written by the talented KAT. Had to share this beautiful story with you. I do hope you enjoy it and feel uplifted after reading it. ~ Sarah xxx
Maybe you made big plans to get up early and read your Bible, pray, exercise and plan. Maybe you hit the snooze button this morning. Maybe you’ve hit it every morning for the past month.
Maybe you’re feeling discouraged right now. Or maybe you’ve been discouraged for awhile.
Maybe your past echoes of brokenness, fatigue and failed dreams.
Have I got a story for you.
This isn’t a story of triumph. It’s a story of pain, falling short and unfulfilled dreams. But it’s also a story of furious love. And a reminder that faithfulness in the face of our failures can bring the greatest reward of all.
Last Place Never Looked So Good
Barcelona. 1992. Derek Redmon was Britain’s greatest quarter miler.
BANG!! Off to a good start, his prospects for the race looked good. Until…
Until his hamstring snapped. Yes, snapped. He stumbled and fell to the ground. With cameramen snapping pictures and the world watching, he was consumed with the pain of his broken body and broken dream.
And then? He made a decision. To finish. He knew he wouldn’t come in 1st, 2nd or 3rd. He knew he wouldn’t cross the finish line in victory. But he decided he would cross that line. So, up he struggled and he hobbled down the track, grimacing in pain.
Then, in the background, something happened in the stands. A man, older, gray-er than Derek pushed past people, waved off guards and ran down the track. His face was filled with the furious love of a father.
He pushed away officials. He pushed away security personnel. He pushed away anyone who dared interfere. He wrapped his arms around his weeping son and together they finished the race.
Few could name the winner of the 400 meter gold that year. But millions of people remember Derek’s faithfulness and his father’s furious love.
You Do Not Struggle Alone
If you are struggling, whether it’s with getting up in the morning or life in general, never believe that your Father’s love is any less furious.
He DOES NOT stand at the finish line awaiting your triumphant victory. He runs alongside you, cheering you as you go. And when you struggle, when you fall, He wraps His all powerful, healing hands around you and and holds you as you press on. Together.
He will let nothing get in His way.
Enough of my insufficient words. Read what David said in the Psalms.
Psalm 18
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him
the dark rain clouds of the sky.12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies ,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
Living In Grace 