I just returned from a long run. It was my first two hour run since my last marathon, so it was an interesting experience. The weather was cloudy and damp, with occasional showers, but I enjoyed the run.
I spent the first hour running with John Piper. Amazingly he was able to keep up and preach an entire sermon on 2 Corinthians 8 (I believe God is trying to tell me something since I have heard three excellent sermons on the same passage in less than three weeks! Pastor Odens just spoke on the passage yesterday stressing that we must be involved in not only Thanksgiving, but “Thanks-living.”)
Then after John Piper had finished, I switched running partners and ran around Lake Harriet with Don Carson. He was being interviewed about the importance of theological training. This interview is a must listen for any student, pastor, or theologically concerned believer. One of his many convicting statements was that “many theological students enter seminary seeking to be mastered by the Word, but gradually fade into desiring to only master the Word” (This is a rough quote since we were running around the lake). He also discussed the danger of having an “upstairs and “downstairs” in a students spiritual life. The student diligently studies the text downstairs, and attempts to live a pious life upstairs, but they never meet.
The final half hour was spent surrounded by some of my favorite Christian artists singing about the Gospel and glories which await those who believe.
The only real regret I had was that I didn’t bring along some food! I got so hungry that I was tempted to stop at every gas station and restaurant and ask for a sample!