Why Mornings?4face, began hobbling toward the finish line more than two hun-
dred meters away. He couldn’t win, but he could finish. He
took excruciating step after excruciating step, determined to
complete his race.
Slowly the crowd realized what was happening. A wave of
cheers spread throughout the stadium, and, by the hundreds,
spectators rose to their feet. The announcers barely acknowl-
edged the winner of the race, too choked up with emotion and
focused on the greater story happening at two hundred meters.
Then, something even more incredible happened. There
was a small commotion in the crowd. A man who was a little
older and a little grayer than Derek pushed his way down to
the railing. He jumped over the railing onto the track and
fought off security guards and officials as he ran to his broken
and beaten son. Derek’s father wrapped his arms around him
in support and spoke words of love, hope, and courage over
him. You could see the relief wash over Derek as his father
helped him carry his pain.
Together, they crossed the finish line.
Later, reporters swarmed the elder Mr. Redmond and
asked what inspired him to push through the crowd, fight past
security, and jump onto the track with his son. Mr. Redmond
simply said, “I intended to go over the line with him. We started
his career together; I think we should finish it together.”^1
Friends, I don’t know where you are in your journey with
God. I don’t know how many times you’ve tried to spend time
with Him or read the Word or prayed and felt as if you failed.
But I do know that He does not merely stand at the finish line
awaiting your triumphant victory. Our loving God, our faith-
ful Father, is fighting to come alongside you in the journey. To