One of a chaplain’s primary duties on a deployment is to be an anchor of stability for soldiers. When a soldier sees the ordinary care of the chaplain, he or she can be reminded of home, family, and church. A chaplain’s focus on spiritual needs may assure soldiers in the face of worry. Most importantly, they might be inspired to look for a deeper, more trustworthy anchor in the living God.
Along with my chaplain duties in Afghanistan, I took on the post of “Run Master.” Deployed soldiers can connect with a running community. Virtually every weekend brought a new half marathon, and dozens of soldiers joined that culture of fitness. For a bit, they were removed from the fighting culture.
The Apostle Paul recognized that life itself is a race—a long one. The entire “race” of your life is to be offered to the glory of God. Of course, at the heart of that race is Jesus Christ, who strengthens your weak knees and becomes your message to fellow and potential runners. Not only that, He has carried you across the finish line!