Mush On!

I added a new hero to my personal "Hall Of Fame" recently! I firmly believe in having heroes and I constantly stay on the lookout for new ones. My latest addition is Iditarod dogsled racer, Ellen Halverson.

On Sunday, March 20th, Ellen finished the Iditarod, the famous dogsled marathon across Alaska which began on Saturday, March 6th. Ellen did not win; that honor went to John Baker who completed the course on March 15th in the new record time of 8 days, 19 hours and 46 minutes. Ellen lost big time; she came in 47th out of 47! For her efforts, Ellen received the Red Lantern award, given to the last one to cross the finish line in each Iditarod race. As a matter of fact, Ellen became the only repeat Red Lantern winner in the history of the Iditarod, previously "winning" the award in 2007 as well.

So what makes Ellen a hero? Finishing, that is what!  In addition to the 47 racers, there were also another 15 racers who scratched and never finished the race! For 13 days, 19 hours and 45 minutes through the snow and slicing cold during the 1,000-plus mile race between Anchorage and Nome, with no hope of winning, she gripped the handles of her sled, stared out at her line of dogs, and kept mushing. She brought home the Red Lantern; she finished; she refused to quit! I regard that as hero material!!

Ellen's expolit, in fact reminds me of that wonderful Bible word, "endurance". Now there is a word for you! It literally means "to stay underneath" and is used to describe such things as the adolescent Jesus refusing to leave His Father's business (Luke 2:43) or Timothy and Silas hanging on in Berea when being a Christian became a lethal endeavor (Acts 17:14). Jesus remarked twice that the character quality of endurance, more than eloquent words or mighty works, marked the true believer.

So, here is to all those Christian believers out there who are faithfully running the race! Stay your course! One day you will find laid up for you in eternity the "Red Lantern" award, the crown of glory which our Lord Jesus Christ reserves, not for the fastest; but for the finishers (2 Timothy 4:7,8)!


Mush On!
Pastor David Blevins