The Last Great Race On Earth

The Last Great Race on Earth

A vicious wind whistled across the Alaskan tundra. Swirling snow all but blinded the musher and his intrepid team. Despite paws matted with ice and snow, the huskies pressed on. They had to. Lives hung in the balance. It was the dead of winter, and a diphtheria epidemic had left the city of Nome desperate for vaccine. With the nearest supply 1,200 miles away, the only hope of transporting the lifesaving drug across the vast, white wilderness was via dogsled. And on this date in 1925, they succeeded.

Did you know that Alaska still honors that heroic trek every March by repeating the feat? You may have heard of the Iditarod. It’s a grueling dogsled race that begins in Wasilla and ends in Nome. It takes anywhere from nine to fifteen days, and competitors pack only essentials in an effort to keep their sleds light and swift. The teams must contend with violent winds, long hours of darkness, below-zero temperatures, and treacherous climbs. But at the end of the trail, each finisher receives a true hero’s welcome.

It’s cool that all the glory isn’t reserved for the one who comes in first. Just finishing is a major achievement, considering the danger and distance involved. It’s no wonder the Iditarod has been called the “Last Great Race on Earth.”

The Christian life is a lot like that. Even with God on our side, each of us faces a long journey full of challenges and uncertainty. That’s why Hebrews 12:1 encourages us to unload any unnecessary weight—especially sin—that could slow us down as we run our race. You may get tired. You may be tempted to quit. But if you run with endurance, much like the Iditarod, there’s a hero’s welcome in store for everyone who crosses the finish line.

Daddy-Daughter Time

At this stage of your life’s race, what challenges are you experiencing? Is something weighing you down? Who’s cheering you on? Discuss ways you can support each other.

Consider setting aside an evening to watch the animated movie Balto together. This exciting, touching, G-rated tale is loosely based on the lifesaving trek that inspired the Iditarod. You can find lots of other fun movies to watch together in the Father-Daughter Movie Nights appendix at the back of this book.

What’s The Word?

Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.   Hebrews 12:1