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Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.
ATHLETE TESTIMONY - Lincoln Murdoch
“RUNNING FROM GOD…RUNNING TO GOD….RUNNING FOR GOD”
Talk about being religious! I was raised in the home of a Pastor, and my grandfather was a pastor and so was my great grandfather! I was in church every time the doors were opened which was several times each week. Did that put me in right relationship with God? Believe it or not, it didn’t. Just as spending time in a garage wouldn’t make me a car, spending time in church only dealt with outward appearance but didn’t change my heart.
On the inside, I was in control for the first 22 years of my life. On the internal “throne” of my heart, I was sitting as the King, ruling and reigning the kingdom of my life. Though a “nice guy” outwardly, inwardly I was selfish and self-centered, making decisions based only on what would make me happy and serve my agenda.
I knew the truth about what the Lord wanted from me….to surrender my life to Him, but, though I knew the truth, I rejected it. And, the guilt grew…and grew…and grew.
I was involved in athletics since Jr. High onward. Basketball was my love through high school and college. One spring day as a senior in the small College I attended, I watched the track team workout. Though I’d never run before, I decided to go out for track and run the 3-mile or 5,000 meter run. I had a blast that season, even throwing the javelin and high jumping one meet. I became a real distance runner, moving quickly up to the marathon and then doing my first 50-mile ultra-marathon. Man, did I love to run. Inwardly, I was running also; away from God that is.
August 12, 1979, I was in a church service and suddenly, I felt severe conviction for my sins. Deeply and profoundly, the Holy Spirit showed me how sinful and selfish I was. He reminded me that, though I was running from Him, if I would repent and run to Him, He would forgive me and fill me with Himself, giving me real purpose and meaning. I knew that to repent meant I had to get off the throne of my life and let Jesus take His rightful place there. I had to make a U-turn and run to God instead of running from Him.
Conviction is what leads a person to repentance and repentance is the doorway to a real, vital, minute-by-minute relationship with the Lord. I knew that He must become my Lord and not just one who would save me from hell, but one who would call all the shots in my life from that point on. That is just what I wanted.
Imagine someone pounding down the backstretch of a track in a 400meter race, pressing hard to gain the lead, suddenly turning around and running back the other way. How weird would that be? Well, that’s just what I did. I did a spiritual U-turn and starting running to God…then, running for God. I asked the Lord to please forgive me. I asked Him to take over my whole life, totally and completely. I let Him sit on the throne of my life that I had just abandoned and rule my life.
From that point on I have known the reality of Jesus in my life everyday. I now run for Him and for His glory. Oh yes, I swim and bike for Him too. Nine years ago I discovered triathlon and kept pressing the envelope there as well, moving from sprint races, to ½ Ironman races, then on to the Ironman distance. In ’98 I had the opportunity to compete in the Hawaiian Ironman World Championship race. What an amazing experience it was to run down that final stretch while thousands cheered me in. I know that someday, I’ll run down the final stretch of this life, towards the great finish line that leads to heaven. I’ll run right from this life into the next, into the glories and wonders of heaven and into the glory of my magnificent Lord Jesus. Today, I’m running for God and I wouldn’t want to run any other way!
Philippians 4:13
For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.