Running the race

This is part of Paul's farewell to his friends, the Ephesian elders, before he sails on to Jerusalem.

Acts 20:22-37
"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "
When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

There's a few things that stand out to me about this passage:
I particularly connect with these words because I'm about to leave my family and friends behind to go join new friends at work spreading the joy-full truth of the Gospel in a different country. I hope that unlike Paul, I will still have the opportunity to see most of my friends again, but who knows what might happen, and the increased violence in Greece lately does make my parents a bit more anxious.
I'm wondering whether I can honestly declare that I am "innocent of the blood of all men" that I have met. Have I proclaimed the Gospel whole-heartedly with all my words and actions? When I've failed, have I unashamedly - in fact, loudly! - let the grace of Jesus wash over me in order to glorify - make known and magnify! - the love and mercy of God? Do I consider my life worth nothing to me apart from the task of proclaiming the grace of Christ? Am I truly running the race with all I've got in me, or is my effort and perserverance wavering... have I stopped to admire and pick flowers along the side of the track? Have I been working as much as I can to supply all of my needs in order to have as much extra to give and share to help those more in need than me? Have I let it fully sink in yet how much more wonderful of a feeling it is to give rather than receive?... To empty my life of "my" possessions and cling with every ounce of strength to the one thing - the only one, THE ONE - who defines who I am - Jesus Christ.

Have you asked yourself these questions lately? I pray they spur you on to run harder, further, and faster than you feel you're capable of... It's true, on your own you won't be running your best race... so May your journey be filled with God's strength, endurance, perserverance... - your "POWER-aide" - and refreshing, cool, LIVING water.