"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23

Running follows us wherever we go. We can be anywhere in the world, and the one form of exercise that we cannot deny is the run. I have visited different places in the United States and all over the world. As a missionary, I lived in Africa and stayed for extended amounts of time in Thailand. I visited others in cities that were not my own. In the places that I have traveled, I have always been able to run no matter the temperature, new altitude, or new roadmaps. I just take my running shoes and go. Yes, I may not always want to do what I am so accustomed to doing nearly every day, run. Yet, I know the run is there just waiting to be ran.

You may wonder, how this relates to God. Well, Jesus is always with us. As his children, He will never leave or forsake us. He goes with us wherever we go. He travels to the deepest places of our hearts and surfaces the truth that only He can surface. We experience different countries, uncomfortable places, new jobs, unfamiliar territory, new life stages, sickness, sadness, and joyous occasions, yet, God remains with us. We cannot deny His presence and readiness for us. He wants to be part of our run in this life.

I challenge us all today with our acknowledgment of Him. If you know Him, are you aware of how He is working in your life, are you resting in the fact that He will not forsake you or abandon you, are you inviting Him into all of life’s moments? If you are not sure of His place in your life, have you asked Him to help you ? Do you want to know what it means for Him to be Emmanuel, God with us?

Enjoy Him today on your run, your rest, and all of your other given moments.

Blessings to all!