Out of Synch

Early on in boot camp, my company was marched out to a parade field with a track around it and introduced to a Navy Seal who was going to teach our unit how to run, and pass, the Navy PT test. PT stands for Physical Training, and if you ever want to learn how to get your body in real shape, find a Navy Seal. In addition to teaching us how to do proper sit ups and push ups, our personal physical fitness guru taught us how to run as a group.

The first day, we ran in formation and it was a disaster. We had to run a mile and a quarter in under 6 minutes to pass the test. We started the clock and began to march - not run, but march. After about twenty yards, the Seal barked out, "At the quick time, march!" Staying in formation, but now beginning to jog a little, we picked up the pace of our marching. We quickly accelerated until we were up to speed. And that was then the whole group fell apart. One by one, we lost people off the back of the group as they struggled to keep up. Only a year out of high school cross country, and I finished in 6 minutes 30 seconds. I was about the tenth person across the line. The seal and one or two other recruits had finished in time.

We tried again about three weeks later. We were a little more experienced this time, and most of us kept up for a good three quarters of the laps, but then, again, one by one, we fell off the pace and collapsed at the end. With only two weeks left to our one and only chance to qualify, many of us figured we were doomed to repeat some portion of boot camp. We took to our own time to train, running around the base where we could without worrying about running afoul of military training. Individually, our times were dismal - not even coming close to the pace the Seal set for us to follow.

On the day of the final PT test, I was extremely apprehensive. I had barely survived the Push Ups (never one of my strong suits, even when I was a stud athlete ;) and was not looking forward to the run. Though I had run cross country for four years in high school, and though I had run for fun six years before high school, I didn't think I would be fast enough to complete the race.

"At the quick time, March!" The Seal set out at a much faster pace this time. But there was something different about this last race. I felt at home, comfortable, running beside my fellow recruits. Their rythmic pacing of boots on the track and the cadence the Seal was keeping (yes, cadence, at a nearly four minute mile pace...) kept me going forward in lock step with everyone. We marched at a fast pace around the entire track, and only at the very end, at the last half lap, did we finally start to lose people. We breezed across the finish line only short three recruits and with such a comfortable margin of time, that even those recruits made it under the time alloted. In synch, we had accomplished what many of us could have never accomplished alone.

How often do I feel as if I am running God's race by myself - struggling to keep up with His demands and falling behind so quickly. And then, every couple of laps or so, I feel this gentle push and I find myself in lock step with His glory.

I wrote about the correction I felt last week. And this weekend, I felt back in synch. I spent Saturday with my various nieces and nephews (Andy's kids at Tee Ball practice in the morning, and my sister's kids at her house that night) and I was reminded of the importance of family. I sang and ran the youth group on Sunday morning, and then watched and discussed the movie Chariots of Fire with members of my church, Sunday evening. Though I barely had time for myself all day Sunday, I felt in lock step with God the entire day, and as a result, I got home and got right back to work on my Novel - rewriting three and a half chapters before I went to bed. On Monday, I took my Mom out for breakfast and then came right home and rewrote another four chapters. I finished Monday evening with some more study of Proverbs and a clear feeling of being in God's company and on God's right path.

But how easy it is to take a misstep. To falter. To run out of breath. To run out of energy. And find that you are falling behind the rest of God's kingdom. You feel out of synch. You can't quite put your finger on it, but you know that you are just not up to the task of catching up with the group. You feel lost. You feel alone.

Well, cheer up - the track is an oval and God's coming around again. So you'll be able to get back in step, get back in synch, and continue to carry on in God's great race. And someday, when the race is done, you will be able to celebrate with all the other racers and thank God for helping you stay up to speed.