Dear Heavenly Father, we praise you. We praise you for your goodness and love, for your heart full of grace and mercy. Thank you for showing us your character in the love of a mom. That in her we see your unconditional love, your tender nurturing, your amazing grace. I pray for moms everywhere, that no matter what situation they’re in today, they would feel your love. I pray you would continue to strengthen them and give them wisdom. I pray you would comfort those who are grieving. I pray for all of us, that no matter what stage of motherhood we’re in, we would look to you and draw on your character that we might be moms who give you glory, and leave a godly legacy for our children. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
“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. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Next year will be the Summer Olympics. A time when athletes will put to the test everything they’ve been training night and day for, sacrificing their lives for, restricting their diets for, enduring injuries for as they’ve fallen down and gotten up over and over so they will be perfect.
In the same way, we who have been following Christ have a proving ground right now to put into practice what we’ve been 
learning.
The world is stressed out and we’re all going to cross paths with that stress one way or another, whether it’s from within or without.
And there is no better opportunity than right now to put to the test the faith we’ve been learning, the trust in Christ we’ve been practicing, the filling of the Holy Spirit we’ve been training our ears and hearts and minds to hear.
So let’s run the race with the right garments:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3 12-14
Starting to feel a little weary? Yeah, me too. But God’s Word says
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord
will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31 NLT
I used the New Living Translation because that’s the version spoken by the little girl near the end of the song. (That part always gets to me.)
But in the original Hebrew, the word, or phrase, used where it says “those who trust in the Lord…” is wait upon. Waiting on the Lord is not sitting and doing nothing, and it’s certainly not waiting in anxiety, wringing our hands, feeling helpless.
Wait upon means to bind together.
If while we wait upon the Lord, we will spend the time in His presence, in prayer and in His Word, binding our hearts to Him, He is then able to give us new strength, His strength, a second, third, fourth wind so we can keep going, keep waiting, keep trusting, and not grow weary.
And the bigger the trial, the more time we need to spend with God.
So, let’s do what we need to do to catch our second wind, rise up in His strength and power, and keep going.
Dr. S. M. (Shadrach Meshach) Lockridge served the Lord as a pastor from 1942 to 1993, and man did he love Jesus. In 1976 he delivered a sermon he called Amen. This is the powerful last six and half minutes of that sermon we know as That’s My King!
Let these words wash over you, and the gravity of who Christ is fill you with His peace, His strength, and His joy. If you’d like, you can listen to the entire sermon here.
Let’s worship…
That’s My King
My King was born King. The Bible says He’s a seven-way king….He’s the King of the Jews; that’s a racial king….He’s the King of Israel; that’s a national King….He’s the King of Righteousness….He’s the King of the Ages…..He’s the King of Heaven….He’s the King of Glory….He’s the King of kings, and He’s the Lord of lords. That’s my King. Well….I wonder, do you know Him?….
David said, “The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply.
No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings. He’s enduringly strong….He’s entirely sincere….He’s eternally steadfast….He’s immortally graceful….He’s imperially powerful….He’s impartially merciful……. Do you know Him?
He’s the greatest phenomenon that ever crossed the horizon of this world. He’s God’s Son….He’s a sinner’s Saviour….He’s the centerpiece of civilization….He stands in the solitude of Himself….He’s august….
He’s unique….He’s unparalleled….He’s unprecedented….He’s the loftiest idea in literature….He’s the highest personality in philosophy….He’s the supreme problem in higher criticism….He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology….
He’s the cardinal necessity for spiritual religion….He’s the miracle of the age…. He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him….He’s the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour…… I wonder if you know Him today?
He supplies strength for the weak….He’s available for the tempted and the tried….He sympathizes and He saves….He strengthens and sustains….He guards and He guides….He heals the sick….He cleanses lepers….
He forgives sinners….He discharges debtors….He delivers captives….He defends the feeble….He blesses the young….He serves the unfortunate….He regards the aged….He rewards the diligent….and He beautifies the meek……. I wonder if you know Him?
Well, my King….is the King….He’s the key to knowledge….He’s the wellspring to wisdom….He’s the doorway of deliverance….He’s the pathway of peace….He’s the roadway of righteousness ….He’s the highway of holiness….He’s the gateway of glory……. Do you know Him?
Well….His office is manifold….His promise is sure….His light is matchless….His goodness is limitless….His mercy is everlasting….His love never changes….His word is enough….
His grace is sufficient….His reign is righteous….and His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you, but He’s indescribable….He’s incomprehensible….He’s invincible….He’s irresistible.
Well, you can’t get Him out of your mind….You can’t get Him off of your hand….You can’t out live Him, and you can’t live without Him….The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him….Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him….
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree….Herod couldn’t kill Him….Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him. Yea!!!, that’s my King, that’s my King.
Father…”Thine is the Kingdom….and the Power….and the Glory….Forever”….and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever. How long is that? And ever…and ever…and when you get through with all the forevers, then…. AMEN!….AMEN!
