Psalm 65:11

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

DAILY READING – Acts 14; Joshua 22; Job 31

The first marathon is said to have been run over 2,500 years ago, during the Battle of Marathon, which is one of the most significant battles in human history. When the Athenians won this battle, a soldier ran from the town of Marathon in ancient Greece, to Athens to bring to his people news of their victory. However the distance was so long that on arrival he could only say “We were victorious!” and then collapsed and died from exhaustion. The race ran by this soldier became the inspiration for the Marathon race, which was first introduced at the 1896 Modern Olympics. And ever since, yearly in Greece the marathon race has always been run from the town of Marathon to Athens, following the original route ran by the soldier who brought the news of victory to Athens. This race from Marathon to Athens, though  considered by many athletes as the ultimate race experience, is also perhaps the most difficult major marathon race in the world. The course which begins in the town of Marathon, features the toughest uphill climb of any major marathon and is a race often only won by expert athletes.

It was however a very big surprise to many when On April 6, 1969, an amateur runner won this tough race. The unlikely winner Bill Adcocks was a gas fitter with feeble knees and who instead of wearing proper running shoes, wore a flimsy plimsolls shoes for this race. It became amazing to many that he covered the fearsome Marathon-Athens race course in an astounding 2hr 11min 7sec. And his record would remain unbeaten for the next 35 years until 2004, when it was broken by a world class runner Stefano Baldini. It is indeed amazing how an amateur athlete could achieve a record that even professional athletes found difficult to break.

However in the race of 2018 that has been our story. We have been like that amateur athlete. At the beginning of this year none of us had  a full picture of what 2018 would be like, we were like amateurs running through the year’s calendar. And it has been a race through 365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes and 31,536,000 seconds. But God saw us through every inch of this race. At each juncture, any number of things could have gone fatally wrong. But God guided us safely on this unfamiliar route.

Isaiah 41:1-2 says ‘Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.’

Indeed God has enabled us to pass safely through a year we had not gone through before. He gave us breakthroughs, open doors and made ways for us where there seemed to be no way. And now here we are at the end of this race about to cross over to the next year. And what can we say but give continual praise to this wonderful God.

We have survived not by power or might, but by the help of The Spirit of The Lord. Indeed if it had not been for The lord where would we be?

We are just a few hours from 2019 and the main way to spend these last hours of 2018, is in earnest praise and appreciation to God. Indeed God has done all things well for us. – Ecclesiastes 7:8 says Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: it doesn’t matter how 2018 started, today we declare it is ending on a good note for us. God has indeed crowned the year with good things, He has given us benefits that we will continue to reap even in coming years. And as we praise Him for a successful year we trust that God has also gone ahead of us into 2019 to make every crooked path straight in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, I truly and deeply appreciate You for all You have done for me this year. If it has not been for You where would my family and I be? Father I am grateful. May all honor, worship and adoration be unto You alone, now and forever in Jesus Mighty Name.

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God is preparing you for the season He prepared your breakthrough. – WORDBITE 222.