The following is the sermon I delivered at the start of the 2023 New York City Marathon.

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One of my favorite passages in the Bible comes from Hebrews.  Most runners are familiar with the passage as it reads:

“Let us run with perseverance, the race set before us.”

That, of course, is what we are here to do today.  We are here to run, with purpose, and strength, using all our abilities and courage and confidence, that race, a big and mighty race, set before us.  

26.2 miles through five boroughs of New York City, over five bridges, and past millions of spectators.

Let us be strong and glad and proud as we run today.  

We all worked hard to get to this spot, to be on the verge of something great and magnificent and wonderful.  

If you are like me, in order to get the miles in, you had to train many hours, over many roads for hours and hours. I suspect you ran many of those miles alone.

Except… we are never alone.  Completely.  

I used to bring my iPod with me on all my runs.  Songs like “Born To Run,” “Don’t Stop Me Now, “Hall of Fame,” and the music from the Rocky movies never fail to motivate me.  I used to think the songs helped keep me going, moving forward, and maybe even running faster.  

I don’t necessarily believe that any longer.

A while back, I started a new habit, I stopped bringing music on my runs outside and I started praying as I ran. Habits over time become routines. And praying has now become an important part of my runs.

When I’m about 2/3rds through each mile, as I run, I quietly say The Lord’s Prayer.  This prayer is one makes a lot of sense to me.  It is the one that Jesus taught his disciples when he taught them how to pray.  It reminds us to love and be kind, to appreciate, and to do the right things always (and even if we’re not perfect, the reminders are always helpful). 

This prayer, or these prayers along my runs have become an important part of my running journey. The amazing thing is that as I pray as I run, I always forget how much I might be struggling.  As I let God into my running life, as I focus on him and his message, I think beyond myself, and I run easier and I run better.  I forget my pain and my toil and I think of bigger things, Godly things, and somehow, it makes me a stronger, more confident, and better runner.

I have come to realize that I’m not really running alone. I learned that I’m running with something bigger and stronger and mightier than anything.

I realize that God is with me in those moments, absolutely and really and truly.  He helps to carry me.  

This might sound crazy, but now as I run, I look forward to reaching .60 of each mile because I know I’ll be praying again soon.  And as much as breathing, and striving, and pushing myself forward, praying has become as essential part of my runs. 

Once again, I’m not running alone. I’m running with the Lord.

And it makes all the difference.  

As it says in Psalm 121, “My help comes from the Lord.”

Still, as I thought about my mile prayer and when I say it, about 2/3rds of the way through each mile, I started to consider the number 23 and another Psalm and I added just a little but more to the words I pray, borrowing from the 23^rd Psalm.

After finishing the Lord’s Prayer, I say,

“And yeah through I walk (sometimes I say run) through the shadow of the valley of death, I fear no evil for thou art with me.  Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

And they do, they really do.

And I end my prayers with thee words, also from the 23rd Psalm:

“For goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

The words give me power and strength and focus and they really do make my runs better.  Praying makes my task of running infinitely better.

I don’t run alone.  Ever.  None of have to. God is always with us. 

Today as you bask in the glory of the New York City Marathon, enjoy the crowds, enjoy the cheers, enjoy the glory. Bask in it, revel in it, and, if you have a moment, as you get filled with the emotions that are part of the marathon experience, say a little prayer of thanks to God.

Thank him for bringing you here today.

Thank him for allowing you to run the New York City Marathon – to be part of something wonderful and great and majestic and special.

It’s always good to give thanks.

But if you are struggling, and there comes a time, or many times, in every marathon when we struggle, especially then, seek out The Lord. Pray for strength and courage and the ability to run with perseverance the race set before you.  

It will help. God will take take this journey with you. When you open your heart and your mind to him, he absolutely will.

I promise.  

You have a grand day ahead of you. It will be great. It won’t be easy, but as it says in Romans 5:3-5:

“We rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, character hope.  And hope does not disappoint us.”

Hope never disappoints us.

Run well and rejoice in the New York City Marathon.

God Bless.

Amen.