"The Race"

This poem/story from Dee Groberg gets to me every time I hear it, possibly because I know what it's like to run a race. The feeling of failure weighs heavy on your mind. Another reason is that my dad was always there cheering us on and I can see him saying that to us, "Get up and win the race." But even more importantly, I can hear those words in my mind every time I "fall" in my daily challenges, that voice inside pushing me on, the voice (through His spirit) from a loving Father in Heaven.

“Get up,” an echo sounded low
“Get up and take your place;
you were not meant for failure here.
Get up and win the race.

“With borrowed will get up,” it said,
“You haven’t lost it all,
For winning is no more than this:
To rise each time you fall.”

I particularly like the phrase, "...you were not meant for failure here." How true is that? There is a plan and purpose for us being here, and we were not meant to fail. And with all of life's challenges, the reason we are able to fall and get up again is because of Jesus Christ. I'm thankful for that gift.

Here is a video I found of this story: