JOHNNYâ€™S RACE - All Our Daily Bread Daily Devotionals for 2026

Our Daily Bread - Tuesday, December 7, 2016
by RBC Ministries

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JOHNNYâ€™S RACE

READ:

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
-1 Thessalonians 5:11

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Daniel 5-7
2 John

When 19-year-old Johnny Agar finished the 5k race, he had a lot of people behind him - family members and friends who were celebrating his accomplishment.
Johnny has cerebral palsy which makes physical activity difficult. But he and his dad, Jeff, have teamed up to compete in many races - Dad pushing and Johnny riding. But one day, Johnny wanted to finish by himself. Halfway through the race, his dad took him out of his cart, helped him to his walker, and assisted Johnny as he completed the race on his own two feet. That led to a major celebration as friends and family cheered his accomplishment. "It made it easier for me to do with them behind me," Johnny told a reporter. "The encouragement is what drove me."
Isn't that what Christ-followers are meant to do? Hebrews 10:24 reminds us, "Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds" (NIV). As we model the love of our Saviour (John 13:34-35), imagine the difference it could make if we all set out to encourage each other - if we always knew that behind us we had a group of friends cheering us on. If we took the words "comfort each other and edify one another" (1 Thessalonians 5:11) seriously, the race would be easier for all of us. - Dave Branon
Help us, Lord, not to think that we can go through life without others. Cure us of our independent spirit. Use us to bless others and humble us to accept encouragement.

A word of encouragement can make the difference between giving up or going on.

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