RUN - A Reflection on Yom Kippur

^{I love the feasts and seasons of the Bible because they are always speaking of and confirming spiritual truths for us. I like to observe these seasons, not religiously, but I try to the follow the heart of each seasons purpose. It is so easy to drift off into the mundane of life in this world and forget what this life is all about from God's perspective.}

^{This message just so happened to follow the last season of the Jewish religious calendar which began with the Hebrew month of Elul August 11th 2010. It begain 40 days before Yom kippur which began Sept. 18 Which is the day of atonement.}

^{Historically the 1st of Elul was at the time when Moses had ascended the second time to mount Sinai and 40 days later returned with the 2nd set of tablets. Remembering that the first ones were destroyed because the children of Israel were disobedient and unfaithful to God during Moses absence in the giving of the first two.}

^{This reminds me of our Christian life at times. We are to live knowing that Yeshua will return on a day that we do not know but like the children of Israel, sometimes we are tempted to rise up, play, and become distracted with the things of this world as His coming delays.}

^{They ultimately ended up worshiping an idol remembered from their past in Egypt, the golden calf. And so is it with us at times that we seem , in our uncertainty, to gravitate towards the defaults of our past indulgences.}

^{Matthew 24:45} “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? ⁴⁶ Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. ⁴⁷ Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸ But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, ⁵¹ and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

^{Elul is to be a time of introspecting leading up to the day of atonement. The day of atonement was the one day of the year when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to atone for his own sins and the sins of the people. Confession (acknowledgment of sin) and repentance are at the core of this season.}

^{We can be comforted to know that Jesus became our atonement sacrifice to cover our sins yet he still requires confession and repentance to live in that full life giving relationship with Him. (I John 1:9) It is good for us to reflect on these things and examine ourselves, uncomfortable as it may be, that we might live this precious life He has granted us to the fullest.}

^RUN

^{Hebrews 12:1} Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For the last couple of months I have had an urge to run. I wasn't exactly sure why considering I am not an athletic person by any means, and walking is about as aerobic as I ever get.

Most recently I encountered an insidious temptation that caught me off guard. I was disturbed that this far into my walk with God I would be still be so prone or vulnerable to such things and that it would so easily creep in. My new found activity was about to teach me a few things.

The first thing that stood out to me when I read the verse above was "the sin which so easily ensnares us" I think we deceive ourselves when we think that because we are Christians we are somehow immune to temptation. The writer of Hebrews is addressing a Christian audience, and he claims that sin easily ensnares us.

According to Gesenisus Lexicon The Greek word ensnare above means to skillfully surround and encircle or to cleverly entangle and prevent from running. It's as if temptation is tailor made to fit our weakness, need, or desire. Yet working behind the scenes temptation is trying to trip us up.

Were going to learn a little Greek today and look a little deeper into the smooth moves of temptation. I don't know Greek so were going to look at a clip from Rick Renner in his book "Sparkling Gems"

"the phrase "easily entangles" (or "beset" in some translations) is from a greek word euperistatos which is a compound of three words: eu, peri, and statos...The word eu usually means well, but in this case carries the idea of something that feels well or something that is comfortable. The Greek word peri means around or being completely surrounded. The word statos is rom the root word istimi, meaning to stand. When these three words are compounded, the new word describes something that comfortably stands all around you, such as a comfortable environment." (1)

...in other words it fits. It might even look like the perfect solution and a really great idea.

In Hebrew thought there is something called the Yetzer Hara. In English it means the "evil inclination"

this inclination is based on a legitimate need that is fulfilled in an illegitimate way through indulgence and I might even go so far as to say entitlement. We deceive ourselves when we entitle ourselves those indulgences based on a perceived need.

^{Numbers 15:39} And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, ⁴⁰ and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God. ⁴¹ I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.”

To follow in this verse means to meander reconnoiter (scout in enemy territory) explore, seek out.

this is what we do when we indulge in temptation we end up meandering off and scouting in enemy territory for solutions and satisfactions.

Sin is also described in this verse as a weight. One of the reasons many people like to jog is to lose weight. Weight gain is caused by indulgence of food and inactivity. Sin is spiritual weight brought on by indulgence of the flesh and inactive faith that make us spiritually lazy and weak. We become spiritually lethargic, unmotivated towards the things of God and weighted down. Sin can slow a spiritual journey to a screeching halt or a crawl at best.

^{Deuteronomy 32:15} “But Jeshurun (upright one) grew fat and kicked; You grew fat, you grew thick, You are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

One of the health benefits of jogging is it reduces triglycerides and bad cholesterol (which essentially is fat floating around in your blood) and increases good cholesterol. Again the analogy works in that a sedentary spiritual life that isn't active and growing can lead to the build up of these compounds and cause artery blockage cutting off the life giving flow of oxygenated blood. Sin does the very same thing. It causes a jam that blocks the life giving flow of the spirit of God in us.

^{Mark 4:19} ... the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

There is a law of motion that was discovered by Isaac Newton... "a body in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted on by an outside force." The outside force from a spiritual perspective is sin. Our Christian lives can lose their motion and ability to move forward unless we resist it.

James 4:⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The Word tells us we are to lay aside the sin in other words put it down. Don't play with it, look longingly at it, or linger in thought about it. Put it away.

^{Philippians4:8} Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

The next thing we are instructed to do is "run with endurance the race that is set before us."

An important goal of runners is to build endurance.

^{Psalm 119:32} I will run the course of Your commandments, For You shall enlarge my heart.

There is an actual condition that is called "Athletic Heart Syndrome" it is described as a normal change that occurs in people who do strenuous aerobic activity like jogging. What happens is the heart gets larger and it's walls get thicker to allow the heart to pump more blood and helps it operate more efficiently. (2)

The heart is actually learning to endure more and more activity.

As we run the course of His commandments unhindered and undistracted with sin our heart will increase in endurance and will have a greater capacity for the accomplishing the will and plan of God in our lives. Our spiritual lives will function more efficiently and operate at peak performance.

Jogging not only strengthens the heart, but also relieves stress, and reinforces the immune system. It also increases muscle strength. (3)

Strength and endurance are common themes with jogging and sin resistance. Strength building and exercises of just about any kind require some form of resistance as James 4:7 states above.

I listened to a message given by Dee Duke, senior pastor at Jefferson Baptist Church in Jefferson, Oregon, about endurance and perseverance that blessed my heart and I want to share it.

when Dee was 12 years old, about 2 months before his father retired from the navy, His family Lived in Alameda California were there was a naval base. They Lived about 6 blocks from the base. In the evening a couple of times a week Him and his dad walked down to the base to the dock to fish. One night on the dock there was no breeze and the water was like a sheet of glass. His dad walked over to one of the big navy ships to the middle of it and put is feet a little over the edge of the dock and he leaned out over and put his hands on the side of the ship and he started pushing on it. He recounts once again that this was a huge ship. He is pushing hard. The veins in his neck are standing out. Dee is standing behind his dad looking at him thinking that his dad had lost it. But his dad continued to push with everything in him and he did it for 15 or 20 minutes. Finally the ship began to move. This huge giant ship began to move away from the dock. He saw the ship moving and thought his dad was super man. After it moved away from the dock his dad had him come sit next to him and began to explain this lesson to him about what had just occurred. He said he wasn't sure how it worked but thought there was some kind of law that the energy that he had when he pushed that ship it got stored in the ship. He also explained that if he had quit 5 seconds before the ship moved it wouldn't have moved and everything he had done and all the energy he exerted would have been wasted.

A quote from Louie Zamperini a World War II prisoner of war survivor, inspirational speaker, and former American competitive runner from "Runners World" magazine:

"Never give up, no matter what. Even if you get last place-finish" (5)

What is the key? Stay focused.

"...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame..."

There is always a goal with runners. Maybe it is to get to the finish line, complete a marathon, beat a time, or a distance. Sometimes during temptation we forget that there is a race that is set before us. God has plans and goals for each one of us. With every race there is a destination in mind God has specific intentions for our lives and that is the race we run and the goal we strive to meet. Sin attempts to ensnare us and distract us from living the plan and purpose He has for us.

^{Jeremiah 29:11} For I know the thoughts (plans) that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts (plans) of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.(parenthesis mine based on word study)

One of the things I see a lot on my walk/jogs this time of year is the wild sunflowers. When a wild sunflower is at bud stage it always faces the sun. In the morning it faces east and by evening it has tracked west following the sun's path. I can't help but think temptation seems to show up right about the time something good is about to blossom in our lives. We need to glean a lesson from the sunflower to follow the Son and keep our eyes on Him.

^{Deuteronomy 28:14} So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

One rule of running is to keep your head up and look forward, which also concerns the idea of focus.

2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2, New King James Version)

The head down position can lead to added weight that slows us down. Temptation begs us to keep our heads down so we only see this earthly life and it's temporary satisfactions never letting on that these satisfactions are at the expense of the eternal ones.

One of the observances of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is fasting. With fasting I have come to understand that one meal will only satisfy me for that meal and then I will be hungry again. It reminds me that sin is a temporary satisfaction that will only leave me hungry again and again and again.

Hebrews says that Jesus endured the cross because of a joy set before Him. His eyes were on the prize.

^{I Corinthians 9:24} Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. ²⁵ And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. ²⁶ Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. ²⁷ But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

A quote from Louie Zamperini, a World War II prisoner of war survivor, inspirational speaker, and former American competitive runner from "Runners World" magazine.

"All things I learned from running apply to any survival situation. You learn to be 100 % obedient to discipline. It's not just running and training; its proper diet and the right attitude." (5)

More notes from Rick Renner in the "Sparkling Gems" book;

"The main goal of all believers should be to find God's plan for their lives and then to go after it with all their might and strength...The primary emphasis of reward (in the ancient games) was not material wealth, but on the distinguishable honor bestowed on the winners. These people were only able to achieve victory in the Olympic games by being disciplined, balanced, and committed to excellence;... our task is to find the divine plan for our lives: to get in shape so we can start running our race...You have to remove all distractions and commit yourself to a life of discipline, balance, and devotion."

"What enabled Paul to press ahead when he was being assaulted so viciously? How could he maintain such a victorious attitude? How is it that he never surrendered to weariness, exhaustion, or the devil's attacks?...That he would one day hear Jesus say to him, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." (end of quote)

Acts 20:²⁴ But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Jesus showed us the way to overcome the temptations of this life. It is through death to what our flesh desires that we can be resurrected to run.

^{Romans 8:13} For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

He also told us to...

^{Matthew 26:41} Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Another important feature of running for the long haul is to keep a good pace.

I like what Rick Renner has to say in "Sparkling Gems" about this too:

"it takes full concentration and a stride that is paced for a runner to run a long distance...if we are going to run our race as God expects, it will require 100% of our attention and mandate that we learn how to run at a constant and consistent pace...we are to run until we obtain"

Another story by Dee Duke about focus:

He recounts how he had gained some weight. A doctor visit convinced him that it was imperative that he change his lifestyle to improve his health. He tried several things unsuccessfully until someone suggested he should run. He told his friend that he hated running. His friend said he did too. He talked Dee into signing up to be on the churches relay team for the "Hood to Coast" relay race. The largest relay race in the world. 180 miles each team mate runs 5 miles. There are 12 on team so each person runs 3, 5mile legs. He hadn't run more than a hundred feet in the last 20 years of his life. They started practicing in the church gym. It took 20 laps to make a mile. He ran one lap and he said he sounded like an injured sea lion. He was about ready to keel over. Each night he added a lap. Then he marked off 2.5 miles near his home and ran the whole way and the whole way back. He wanted to play the Rocky theme song. He did the relay and finished all three legs. Later that year he ran a marathon. He asked himself how did he do it. One lap at a time. Its a journey that we take. To have a goal in mind and go a lap at time putting away the laziness, thoughts of quitting and all the things that distract us from the goal.

Sin has the potential to discredit us from the race. Stay focused.

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."

- George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian

The Hebrew word for run is rutz. resh, vav, tsaddiq

Resh

Resh is the picture of a person's head and can represent the mind and conscious forebrain activity. Running is something we do with intention unless your being chased by a bear in which case it is instinct.

Also it is now being discovered that running actually stimulates the growth of new brain cells and gray matter in the brain and helps with greater memory recall.

Jogging has also been shown to improve depression by increasing natural endorphins (feel good hormones) to the brain. (4)

Vav

Vav is a letter that connects things

Tsadiq

Tsadiq can be a picture of a man kneeling with hands extended to God and is a letter associated with righteousness.

Running to Him and away from sin connects us with righteousness and makes things right including our minds.

^{I Timothy 6:11} But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

^{I Corinthians 10:14} Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

I bought a pair of ASICS tennis shoes specifically for running. I wondered what ASICS meant. It is a latin acronym Anima Sana In Corpore Sano meaning "A sound mind in a sound body" which was comfortingly confirming to both my activity and revelation.

Ok..so we have covered three languages in this study. But beautifully enough it all speaks the same message.

^{I Corinthians 10:13} No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

We can always be rest assured there will be nothing that comes to us that God has not provided a way out. There is nothing that will come to us that no man ever before has faced and was unable to overcome.

^Hebrews15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Just a few more notes on the feasts. Sometimes there is confusion about Passover (in the spring) where the lamb was slain for the sins of the world and the day of atonement (in the fall) where the sins of the people are covered. As my husband and I were discussing this he had a wonderful insight to add. We could look at the passover representing our initial experience of a being born again represented by the shed blood of the lamb. The cost that was required.

Historically Passover took place first.The observance of Atonement did not take place until "the strange fire" burning incident by Aaron the priest's sons Nadab and Abihu. In order that God would be able to dwell in their presence once again the sin of the priests and the people had to be atoned for. Once again this is reflective of a believers life that is in need of repentance and cleansing in order for the presence of God to be operative in their life again.

Atonement represents God's requirement of us to grow up and reciprocate to Him by putting away those things that are standing between and preventing us from moving forward in successful spiritual living that his sacrifice for sin was supposed to grant us.

^Hebrews6:1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

One translation reads let us move on to maturity.

In the above portion of scripture we see that these beginning elements are like the Pass over born again things and experience. And atonement is "lets get on with it!"

I have three grown children and as much as I love them I wanted them to grow up. I didn't want to change their diapers when they were old enough to use the bathroom for themselves. It was time to grow up and sometimes helping them do so required us to be disciplinary about it.

^{I Corinthians 13:11} When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

.Twice a year we are given opportunity to reflect that Yeshua as both our pass over (sacrifice for sin) and our atonement (covering). And respond by running from sin and into His everlasting loving arms.

I encourage all to read the book of Hebrews. It is excellent reading that shows Yeshua as the atonement sacrifice and the "our part" of that relationship. It is the Christian handbook concerning the observance of this season.

^{Philippians 3:13} Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Other random health benefits of Jogging are

• Guards against osteoporosis by building new bone tissue
• Regulates blood pressure
• improves digestion
• lowers the risk of some types of cancer including breast cancer
• promotes better circulation

(1)Rick Renner "Sparkling Gems from the Greek" Teach all Nations Publishing. Copyright 2003

(2) http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec01/ch006/ch006b.html Last full review/revision September 2007 by Brian D Johnston.

(3)http://ezinearticles.com/?Cardiovascular-Workouts:-An-Introduction-to-Jogging&id=313457http://www.electrictext.com/Art/291719/231/4-Fantastic-Fitness-Benefits-of-Jogging.html

(4)http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/jan/18/running-brain-memory-cell-growth

http://jcmalek.wordpress.com/2010/03/13/the-day-of-atonement/

(5) "Runners World" Magazine January 2011 editiion "Life According to Louie" by Christine Fennessy. Excerpted from Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand Copyright 2010 Random House Publisher. runnersworld.com/zamperini, unbroken-book.com