What does it mean to run?

It's amazing who my God is and what He can do. All I can say about this week is that I have truly been kept in the palm of His hands. He is the quiet, when no one's around. He is the strength of my heart. He teaches me often to run to Him.

Various and assundry events have prevented me from running this last week, but I am really looking forward to getting back on track soon. One of the days I ran my 4 miles, for some reason it was harder than all the rest. No one was running beside me, I didn't have any distractions, no ipod, nothing to keep on my mind, but things that made me want to give up.

Earlier that day I was reading in the Song of Solomon. I know what you're thinking haha. If you are anything like me, which most people might not be, but if perhaps you are... You read the bible, but the "song of solomon" is a bunch of mushy stuff for married people thank you very much. =P But it isn't so. My God is My Shepard. The same Shepard that is talked about in the Song of Solomon. I am what He cares for and loves, and that is His love story for me.
So back to running... I was running along, little sisters patiently waiting for me in the car, and I'm thinking my staaars, this is harder than usual for some reason. Maybe I can just run 3, after all the girls are waiting.

The truth is I needed God's love confirmed to me. I know it always in my head, but sometimes I don't FEEL it. I don't see it. I don't hear it. I feel empty and torn. But God's children don't always FEEL loved, they don't always SEE that they are loved, and they don't always HEAR it.

-We are to walk by faith, not by sight-

When we walk by faith, He is FAITHFUL to provide everything, time and time again, every single need.
SO I'm running and I'm running, and I start to think about the Lord, and I think of a verse that has to do with running...

DRAW ME, WE WILL RUN AFTER THEE.

-Song of Solomon 1:3

What does it mean to run? Does that mean jog? Limp... waddle lol? Walk fast? Stay steady? Keep a pace? What does it mean to RUN after the Lord?? When I think of run now, I think sweat. I think fast. I think challenging. I think effort. Do I put as much work into my service for the Lord as I do to run 4 miles? Do I leave EVERYTHING behind me when I RUN, truly RUN after Christ? Or did I wake up this morning look at my bible and waddle over there. Slump to my knees to pray, and yawn as I checked it off my to-do-list for a good little Christian girl. I believe there's a difference, and I know I need to make a change.