Runnings Got to Be Holy

If running isn't holy, maybe I'm not doing it right. It's got to feel special or unique. By definition, holy is to be set apart. God used the word "holy" to describe the first day of rest, and then later His people. For my running to be holy means it is set apart....it becomes more and more void of false motives or angst. In the positive sense it means freedom, ease, and enjoyment. I do it for me, and because I'm created to do it.

When running isn't set apart, there is an intrinsic danger in doing it for the wrong reasons. Studies show that people who start running just to lose weight are less likely to continue running than those who run for sheer joy. Why run then? Because we are human, and we have been created to run. If we weren't, then our great-great-great ancestors never would have been able to outrun their neighbor for dinner, or run and catch dinner. More than that, God made us as physical beings.

Therefore, I would contend that God made us to use our bodies. We're made to enjoy the ease of running in the sun or even the challenge of running into the wind and rain. The strain of muscles and the labor of breathing can make us feel alive. Whether it's in a pool, on a bike, or throwing a ball it's what we are made to do. The state most of us live in, getting paid to sit behind a desk and stare at a screen is an aberration.

Getting out on a Sunday afternoon for a long run is about as close as I get to who I am created to be throughout the week; however, that's only if nothing else is holy. If my work is not holy, if my interactions with my colleagues, if the books I read or the music I enjoy isn't holy then maybe I'm not doing it right. My running then is just an extension of the rest of life. Relationships, people, work, and studies are all holy because God made these things. He made me to enjoy good books, a creative movie, or a laughter-filled evening with family. It's all set apart.