Overtaken

This morning I am thinking about the words spoken to me while I was taking a walk the other day.  There is a part of my walking trail (which I call the Boardwalk) where it is not uncommon for people to utter brief greetings to one another.  As a matter of courtesy, many of us will say something like, “I’m right behind you” or “coming up on your left,” as an alert when we’re about to pass someone.  So, I wasn’t surprised by the greeting itself.  Nor was I surprised when I turned to see the bright, familiar smile of one of the jogging regulars.  What did surprise me was what she told me.  She said, “You’ve really got the pace going today!  I’ve been trying to catch up to you since back there.”  She pointed all the way across the lake to the place where I had entered the Boardwalk.  I didn’t have a chance to respond before she said, “Keep it up!” and darted ahead of me.  I broke out in a big grin, bolstered by her encouragement.  I glanced once again across the lake and marveled at her words, “I’ve been trying to catch up to you.” It struck me that I had not seen, heard, or otherwise noticed her until I was caught.  I had been focused on my pacing and lost in my thoughts. 

      

Reflecting on this, I was reminded of a scripture that speaks about how blessings will overtake me when I make a deliberate, committed choice to live…to walk…in a way that honors God.  Being overtaken implies I am moving in a particular direction, not just sitting or standing still.  More precisely, I believe it means I am moving, purposefully, in the direction of the prayers and goals He has set in my heart.  I like to imagine the blessings that are dispatched to track me down from the moment I begin taking steps of faith, every time.  I may not immediately see, hear, or otherwise perceive these blessings.  But inevitably, often unexpectedly, when I am focused on His promises and lost in His favor, I can feel them breathing down my neck.  I can hear them saying, “I’m coming up right behind you.”  I have sensed this lately, and my heart is greatly encouraged.  Today I say to those blessings, “Bring it on!  Overtake me.”