At three and a half, my son, Kenny, loved learning to do the things Daddy did. Once, while my husband was shaving, Kenny climbed up on the closed toilet seat, which was next to the vanity, and began trying to “shave” his own face with a spoon he’d brought for the purpose.
Oh, he still loved to cuddle with me and to do some of the things I did, but he was old enough to know that he was a boy like Daddy was, and his God-given instincts told him that he should learn to be like Daddy.
He was also convinced (and probably still is) that Daddy could do anything. Daddy was the best, the fastest, and the tallest. And Kenny knew in his heart that if he tried hard enough, he could be just like Daddy.
I don’t remember the exact circumstances on this particular day. All I remember was that Kenny wanted to race. The girls and I were there, too, and Kenny wanted to beat us to the van, or wherever we were going.
He even had a strategy. He was going to hold Daddy’s hand. “I’ll hold Daddy’s hand so I can run as fast as him, and maybe we can win,” Kenny said.
What a beautiful strategy, for three reasons.
First, if there was going to be a race, Kenny wanted to race with his daddy. “I’ll hold Daddy’s hand,” he said. He intended to link himself to his daddy so that they could run the race together. He knew that being on Daddy’s team was his best chance of winning.
Second, Kenny believed that if he held daddy’s hand, he would be able to run like Daddy. Kenny knew that by himself, he wouldn’t win the race. But linked with Daddy, he would be able to run like Daddy could because Daddy would make it so.
Third, with Daddy, he believed he could win. He trusted his father’s ability to lead both of them across the finish line first.
Friend, do we relate to our heavenly Father as beautifully as Kenny related to his earthly one? Do we want to be with Him in this race called life? Is He our first choice for a teammate, knowing that we have to run? If we are honest, most of us would say that there have been times we have chosen a friend or family member to be on our team, with God in the background to be a consultant if we get stuck. But as Kenny joyfully chose his daddy and joined his team, so should we choose to be on our heavenly Father’s team. This means more than just accepting His invitation to become a Christian. It means staying on His team, choosing Him repeatedly, as many times as things come up, to be the One to run with us toward the finish line.
Kenny also believed that his daddy could make him enough like himself so that Kenny could win. I can’t think of a better statement of God’s purpose for us. His goal is to make us like Himself by conforming us to the image of His beloved Son, so that we can win, thereby showing forth His glory. And that, precious mommy, is winning—being like Him. If we’re like Him, we have won.
What race are you running today?
Whether you’re racing against loneliness, grief, temptation, disappointment, physical illness, stress, or lack of sleep, do what Kenny did.
First, choose to run with your Father. Don’t choose someone else to run with, and leave God to stand on the sidelines, cheering you on. Run with Him.
Second, believe and trust that God can do more than anything you ask or imagine in making you like Him.
Finally, remember that when you are like Him, you win. Your circumstances may not change. In fact, they may be very bad, or even tragic. But if you define winning as being conformed to the likeness of Jesus, then you can win in the midst of loss.
And running with the Father, you will.
Ephesians 3:20-21—Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.