A few summers ago two Britishers ran 2,027 miles along the length of the 14
highest mountains in the world. In the process they climbed a whopping 290,000
feet and traversed 64 mountain passes. The Himalayas furnish some pretty
grueling terrain, indeed.
Brothers Richard and Adrian Crane ran their Himalayan trek in a record 101
days, all in hopes of raising money for a British charity. As it turned out,
they suffered heat exhaustion, dysentery, heel blisters, torn nails, bruises,
and bleeding feet — plus one nasty gash to the head from a rock fall — to
raise all of $10,700 by journey’s end. That works out to less than two cents
per thousand steps they pounded out. One hopes a few more donations have come
in since!
Imagine trying to accomplish such a mega-marathon feat. Especially if, like the Crane brothers, you had spent only two weekends running
through the countryside before flying off to Barjeeling, India, to start your
adventure.
The Cranes said their primary training was mental, not physical. You know the
concept: “Put your mind to it, and you can do anything.” While that
does not always prove true, we all have a mind for something, whether it’s
music money, power, sports, respectability, social status, a happy home, or a
comfortable life. Everybody is dedicated to something.
At some point, however, either at our conversion or sometime later, we all have
to answer some important questions. Will I dedicate my life to Jesus Christ?
Will I make everything else secondary and live for Him? Will I seek first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness? Is it true for me that “to live is
Christ”?
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Illustration taken from: Luis
Palau’s book, How to Renew Your Spiritual
Passion, Discovery House, 1995.
View more sermon illustrations for inspiration for your next message.