The Marathon of Life-Day 30- Proverbs 30

It is early.... I will be leaving for LP field at around 4:20 to ensure my arrival at the finish line parking at 5AM- from there I will shuttle to the start line- pack my gear bag- find my corral and begin a race at 7AM with 30,000 + runners in Music City. Roughly 5 hours later- it will be over- the end result of 3 1/2 months of training.... and still so much is before me- I am running for a number of reasons: I had the time- I feel good- I love a challenge- I love the time to commune with my Father- I pray and think- it gives me release of anger/stress- it helps me to face fear- it is a chance to honor the Williams... etc..

Proverbs 30 is a culminating chapter as well- so interesting... different in style- a different writer or at least another source of wisdom. This chapter reads like a mini-Ecclesiastes- It hits me like a poetic recapitulation of life 'under the sun'. It is the common lot of all men- regardless of spiritual temperature.

I have one more 'strange' proposal here: Just as we saw the influence of Egyptian world-view in Ch 22/23- we now likely see early Arabian worldview and we will add Babylonian worldview in Ch. 31. All men have the divine thumbprint on them- the shadow of language/love/logic/law - the common life of mankind- points us back to the Creator. All men have some of the truth- but there is only 1 TRUTH and LIFE. I know this sounds arrogant- but the Biblical worldview is the likely meta- narrative and it is not afraid to include the common touchstone of all men. This does NOT mean there is neutral ground to debate the truth of Jesus Christ- but we allow freedom of debate and discussion in the marketplace of ideas and lovingly present Christ- enough philosophy....

The marathon of life- I see this chapter as a wise sage- a man who has experienced it all- You know the slogan: I heard and I forgot, I saw and I remembered- I did and I understood.... this man has heard-seen...DONE. And what is his summary?

• LIFE WEARS ME OUT
• I HAVE LEARNED ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW MUCH I DON'T KNOW
• WHEN I CONTEMPLATE GOD- I AM TRULY HUMBLED
• GOD IS TRUE
• MAN IS A LIAR
• THE CLOSEST POINT TO FULFILLMENT IS MODERATION
• I AM INTIMATELY ACQUAINTED WITH PERSONAL SIN
• THE MASS OF MEN ARE MIXED BAGS- BLESSING AND CURSING
• THERE ARE EVIL MEN- THERE ARE GOOD MEN
• THE HEART CANNOT BE SATISFIED IN THIS LIFE
• WE OFTEN TREAT THE PEOPLE WE LOVE THE MOST-THE WORST
• LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL- CREATION SINGS GLORY TO THE CREATOR
• MAN HAS A GLORY AS WELL- HIS DIGNITY COMES FROM GOD
• EVEN ANTS AND LOCUSTS PROCLAIM THE MAJESTY OF GOD
• YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS
• CONNECT THE DOTS- YOUR ACTIONS HAVE INTENDED AND UNINTENDED RESULTS

So as I run today- I will look around at the glory of life- the excitement and thrill of sights,sounds, colors- I will pray prayers- I will think and remember-  I will feel nostalgia-I will feel pain and fatigue- I may get to the point of having to decide to GO or QUIT....regardless- this is life.

Yesterday- I looked at all that was going on- the frivolity and love of the Royal Wedding- the suspense of the NFL draft- the aftermath of tornadoes- and just the energy in the Marathon EXPO- what a world- what a life- let's pray and praise!

It is an amazing journey- and I do hope my Father will let me go longer on the marathon to Mount Zion!