Our days overflow with countless gifts we easily overlook….evidence of God’s goodness. In the middle of running, parenting, working, pastoring, and living our ordinary lives, it is good to be reminded, “What a privilege!” God is so good in giving us so many gifts that we tend to overlook.

If you’ve ever run a race, you’ve likely seen supporters holding up signs as they cheer you on. Many of the signs are lighthearted and familiar: “Worst parade ever!” “Pain is just French for bread.” “Therapy would have been easier.” “All this for a banana?”

But at the TCS Toronto Marathon on Sunday, one spectator held up a sign that stood out: “What a privilege!” It was a simple message, but profound. In the middle of the exhaustion and effort, it may not have felt like a privilege to the runners. It probably felt like hard work, maybe even misery. This woman’s sign highlighted a deeper truth: the privilege of having the strength and opportunity to run at all.

Running is a marvel. When you lace up your shoes and hit the pavement, nearly every system in your body works together. Over two hundred bones create the framework, while your muscles fire in perfect sequence to move you forward. Your heart doubles its workload, pumping oxygen-rich blood to hungry muscles. Your lungs shift from 12 breaths per minute at rest to as many as 50 during hard runs. Meanwhile, your brain orchestrates thousands of tiny adjustments to keep you balanced and efficient.

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