Just RUn

I got the super cool opportunity to go on a tour of a dog sledding kennel this week in Breck. The absolutely stunning 156 Siberian Huskies were all sprawled out across the acres of land, each one tethered to a chain keeping them in place at their assigned locations. All the dogs piped up with energy as the tour group walked around saying hi to them and petting them, but that energy was nothing in comparison to the excitement the dogs began to show when they knew it was time to run. ​

As the dogs began to be released from their tethers and hooked up to their pulling harnesses, untamed howls and barks began to break out between all the dogs. I watched in amazement as the 156 huskies began to come to life. It seemed like every dog in the kennel was jumping in the air, pulling as hard as they could on the tethers, and barking and howling their little hearts away. The mushers explained that all of the dogs get so excited to run, that even if it’s not their own day to run, they will all share in the excitement for the dogs that are running on the team that day The pure longing of each husky to just be freed so that they could embrace everything that they were created for was incredible to witness.

One of the other members of the tour asked something about the dog’s preferences of running… whether they liked certain trails or preferred certain seasons more… and the musher’s response struck me. 

“It doesn’t matter. They just want to run.”
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These huskies have such a fire in their souls to simply run. It doesn’t matter where, it doesn’t matter when… they just want to run. That is exactly what they were created for, and that is all they want to do.

When the full team of dogs were all finally released from their tethers and hooked up in their running harnesses, they were off. I watched in amazement as this group of dogs hooked up in front of our cart began to pull us into a steady pace. I could see them coming alive and finding their groove as they continued to run. As we came upon a fork in the road, the guide called out a command and the dogs followed her command to go on the right path, then they just continued to run. Simple as that. Just run. 

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There was no overthinking it or complicating it for the dogs.
Once they were freed from their tethers, their hearts and souls knew to just do what they were created for, and simply run. 

 And run they did. 

I don’t know why it’s so much more complicated for us sometimes. 

The Lord has freed us from every tether, and every form of bondage, and yet, so often we just stay stuck and enslaved. It’s like he frees us from our chains, but then we freeze up and stay in our tethered place, even though there is nothing holding us back anymore from simply running. 

The tether almost provided some sense of security, an excuse to be able to stay stuck and not embrace the freedom we were created for. It gave us a false sense of peace, a somewhat limiting factor to our potential, and something we could point to as our reason for not running in the way we were created for…

So when that tether is released by the power of the Jesus’ blood,  we freeze.

Maybe some of the stuckness comes from a lack of direction or an uncertainty about what route we are supposed to take. With unlimited freedom at our fingertips, what in the world are we supposed to do… Who am I supposed to be? What am I supposed to do? Who am I supposed to meet? Where am I supposed to live? What is my purpose? It’s overwhelming, and kind of scary… and I think that’s why we freeze and stay stuck, even after our tethers have been united by Jesus. 

But, I don’t think it has to be that way. 

The dogs did not give second thought to what route they were going to run, or how long the run was going to be, or quite honestly anything else besides simply running. They know what they were created for, and they know that’s all they need to do. They know that their musher will call out the commands of what route they need to be on when the time comes, and that their only job is to do what they were created to do. 

How might our lives change if we started living like that? To simply embrace the freedom the Lord has given us and to do what we were created to do. 

“But what in the world what I created to do?!” you might be thinking… 

Well, quite simply, we were created for God. We were created to bring Him glory and honor. We were created to love God and be loved by God. We were created to delight in the Lord and enjoy His presence. We were created for His pleasure. 

Simple as that. That is what our whole being craved when it was locked up in bondage. That is what our souls are longing for. That is what our Spirit is on fire for. … to love God and be loved by God, to delight in Him and enjoy Him, and to bring glory and honor to His name. 

So when the chains are broken and the tether has been untied, simply let your heart and soul embrace what they were created for and love the Lord and embrace His love. Delight in His friendship and share His glory with the world. Enjoy the freedom and run wildly in His love.

You don’t need to know the route or any specific logistics… much like the huskies taking commands when needed from the musher, the Lord will call out specific logistical commands for your life, when they are needed. He will be the guide for your route, and tell you exactly where He wants you to go, when it is time for you to know… but for now, your only job is to embrace the freedom He has given you and do what you were created to do.

​That is your one job, and exactly what your heart and soul were created to do, and what your spirit longs for.

Enjoy Him. Enjoy His love. Delight in His beauty. Embrace His glory. 
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Run wild in His freedom. Run wild in His love. Run wild in His presence.

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Don’t overcomplicate it. Don’t overthink it.

Your soul and spirit are ready to run in the freedom they were created for. 

So harness up, get in position, and let’s run wild. 

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