Faith

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THE MARATHON OF LIFE……….by FELIX ABRAHAMS OBI



"The race is not for the swift…." (King Solomon of Israel)

Dateline: 14hrs, 29 Nov 2003,Lagos Nigeria

Event: AFN/MTN Lagos International half marathon

The atmosphere was charged and the hot tropical sun blazed. Over 20,000 athletes wore the yellow MTN T-shirts in readiness for the 11-km race, which had a star, prize of $10,000 waiting for the eventual winner. The best placed Nigerian runner also had a brand new KIA saloon car for the grabs.With much enthusiasm,the mammoth crowd of runners crammed the starting line and before the shot gun popped,they surged like angry waves to brush off security men to declare the race open.They chased the Star Prize!

Among the crowd were a few elite long distance runners from East Africa.Trust the Lagosians ,they were out to have a taste of the "fun" which MTN had promised,hence opening the door of participation to all and sundry! Over 90% of the "marathoners" didn’t train nor knew the technics and dynamics of running long distance races.Many woke up that Saturday morning ,laced their footwear and thus felt they were ready for the race.Some even wore tattered and worn -out footwear all in the bid to win the race.

Many ran thinking the race would be for the swiftest! But will anything ever eliminate the place of regular training, training,experience and adequate knowledge of the dynamics of running in a race like marathon?

In less than an hour,the East Africans coasted home to the finish ahead of all others to win the star prizes in both male and female categories.A Nigerian from the middle belt region who had come 6th won the star prize kept for the best Nigerian.

The marathon is unlike the sprints were speed reigns.The best marathoners train at high altitudes and high atmospheric pressure situations to bulid up their stamina and energy capacity.Unlike the sprint stars,they have no bulky muscles.They look fragile, and lean,but they have energy and the power to endure while the race lasts! Thus the East Africans won the marathon with much ease while the mammoth crowd of Lagosians trudged and trailed behind them! Their consolation was the yellow t-shirts they got "freely" from MTN!

But their were the victims of the marathon. They were those who collapsed and fainted on the way .I never have seen such a magnitude of swooned marathoners all my life.The medical team battled frantically to save the lives of the over a hundred marathoners who had fainted.Many were dehydrated, and had IV infusions rushed into their system to help revive them back to life.Some others had to be rushed to intensive care units of General hospital Lagos for urgent attention when they failed to come around . It was obvious they entered the race for the "fun" of it without adequate preparation and now faced the dire consequences!

This tragedy made me realize how unprepared many of are in running the marathon of life. We often are ill-prepared to face the realities of life and existence on earth. Worsestill, our formal education because it’s more of an accumulation of facts and figures, packaged into capsules of knowledge. Hence we graduate from school and face a world full of gory realities far from the utopian world we’ve always wished.We thus battle with unemployment,injustice,moral decadence,poverty,deflated hopes and dreams etc.And without the help of mentors , we grope for the path to success and fulfillment , while tripping over along the path of failure and disillusionment.

The earlier we realize that Life on earth is a marathon of sorts,the better prepared we’ll be to face it’s encumbrances and realities. It’s unlike the glamorous 100m dash in the olympics which elite sprinters finish in a flash of seconds. Marathoners have no bulging muscles or intimidating frames but have a strong staying power.They endure and maintain a steady pace till the end of race. They have very tough " slow twitch" muscles while sprinters have "fast twitch" muscles



Marathoners will always outlast sprinters in the ultimate marathon race of life on earth.They draw strength their strength from God and realize that without HIM they can do nothing.They know the paucity of life on earth,hence run steadily to prepare for eternal life.They have their eyes on the heavenly call and live to fulfil purpose on earth.They invest and enrich the life of others with their skills, talents and gifting.They do not whimper and whine in the midst of challenges,trials and hardships.They are contented and neither do riches and opulence inflate their egos.They are controlled and regulated from within.

They may stumble and fall but will always rise with each fall and move on. They ay have blisters and corns on their toes ,and suffer hunger and deprivation, but nothing can push them out of their tracks .Nothing has power to push them off course.They have the power to stay on and stick to their dreams and goals!

And when they reach the finish line, the applause and accolade of the cheering crowd of fun-loving spectators will not stun their senses.The prize of the heavenly call is their focus - i.e. to please God in all that they do and be a blessing to others who also must run the marathon race of life!



Concluding quotes:

1." They that wait on the Lord,shall run and not be weary…" ( Isaiah the Prophet.)

2. " Know ye not that they which run in a race, run to obtain the prize. So run that you may obtain the prize?" (Paul the Apostle.)

3. "…Lest by any means by any means, I should run, or had run in vain" (Paul the Apostle.)

4. " Run with patience the race that is set before you." (A Hebrew Rabbi.)



5. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ" (Paul the Apostle.)



Hope to come your way again. Remain in the Love and grave of God and hold on to God and rely on his strength as you run this marathon race of life on earth. Thanks for all your support and encouragement, which has been a major factor, sustaining my writing effort.

Have a blessed week.

Regards from,


Felix Abrahams Obi

(The Nuggetzman,)




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Obi Felix C,PT

dept of physiotherapy

national orthopaedic hospital

pmb 2009 yaba lagos

Nigeria

off tel...+2341 4935220(ext 219)

Mobile .+234.803 3187876

" A Nuggetz will always change your life ..so keep digging!"

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