The Night Runner

Running..Who's in? I am happily amazed by the trend of Running that is taking over the world and even happier to see it happening back home, on the busy streets of Cairo, with groups like Cairo Runners having 147,000 followers on their facebook page and "actually" thousands running..not just following on FB. For me, I am the Night-time runner type..I just like the silent streets, the glowing light bulbs and the release it brings you after a stressed day at work. To my surprise, I found out that Night running is becoming THE trend with its runners tripling around the globe in the last couple of years!

One can not hide the risk of running on dark streets where visibility can put your safety at risk! That's why clever and adaptive companies like Nike and Asics created a whole line of sports wear for city night running...they have added to the shorts, t-shirts and shoes a strip of Retro-reflective (this silver strip) material that bounces the light back to its source making you visible to the cars on the dark asphalt jungle you are running through. Brilliant "shiny" idea!

Made me think about you and I when Jesus called us to be Light of the World! Wow!

“You are the light that shines for the world to see. You are like a city built on a hill that cannot be hidden. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14, 16 ERV)
أنتُمْ نورُ العالَمِ. لا يُمكِنُ أنْ تُخفَى مدينةٌ مَوْضوعَةٌ علَى جَبَلٍ، فليُضِئْ نورُكُمْ هكذا قُدّامَ الناسِ، لكَيْ يَرَوْا أعمالكُمُ الحَسَنَةَ، ويُمَجِّدوا أباكُمُ الّذي في السماواتِ. (مَتَّى 5:14, 16 AVDDV)

Midst the darkness surrounding you, YOU are called to be the Light..in fact, just as the retro-reflective clothing shines in the dark..we are called to shine back the Light of our Lord, the source of all Light..the One who said with full authority I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (John 8:12). If we stick to Him, seek His Holy Spirit, we shall be the Light, reflecting back the image of our Heavenly Father!

Put on your Running shoes of Faith and Shine back His Light my friends!

Scary Night Watch

Playground! الفسحة! Who doesn't smile like me when he recalls his playground at school...it meant everything fun for us..it meant freedom, energy, breaking loose, football, basket, (سجاير في الحمامات for some people), it meant all that fun until that specific moment!
Once during those scout camps at school (معسكرات الكشافة) i had the duty of night watch (حراسة ليلية) at 3:00 am..the darkest hour..we just simply had to guard our camping site who was just in the heart of our playground (sounds silly i know..but it was THE peak of our adventurous camping..an honour to go through)! Suddenly this joyful place i knew each inch of it by heart, became, in this darkness, the scariest doom..the horror site of walking trees, shadows appearing on the walls, sounds of steps running afar, and ابو رجل مسلوخة waiting to eat his next terrified scout boy! And as you guessed it..i am still alive, not eaten yet, as it was all in my head, the playground was the same during night and day, it was darkness that stripped away my joy and replaced it with doubts and fear!

Isn't our Life a bigger playground, where we can walk through with a big smile on our face or with a fearing doubting heart...we can walk with faith knowing what awaits out there, or walk with worry and anxiousness questioning how we will survive all this! I believe, as in the playground, LIGHT is the changing factor..and yes, I thank God we know who said these powerful mighty words:

ثُمَّ كَلَّمَهُمْ يَسُوعُ أَيْضًا قَائِلًا: «أَنَا هُوَ نُورُ ٱلْعَالَمِ. مَنْ يَتْبَعْنِي فَلَا يَمْشِي فِي ٱلظُّلْمَةِ بَلْ يَكُونُ لَهُ نُورُ ٱلْحَيَاةِ». (يُوحَنَّا 8:12

Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life. (John 8:12 AMP)
Dear God, I come at your feet today, opening my heart for your light to shine in the darkest places .God,i really want to walk in your light.., i want you to open the eyes of my heart Lord like you did open the eyes of the blind men..chasing away fear and darkness..knowing that even in the darkest hours, your light will keep shining..in me and through me!

Darkness is a state of faith, my friends!
Note: funny enough, i lately checked our official class graduation pic taken near one of the school gates, saw the statue of Jesus Christ being the center of the pic..and guess what, three words were engraved under it, this same verseانا نور العالم ..if i only just read it carefully on that night...كان ابو رجل مسلوخة خاف مني اليوم دة :-)