Mike Yaconelli, who used to edit the theological satire magazine called "The Wittenberg Door," wrote an insightful editorial a few years ago. Listen:  One of the most interesting things about kid's sporting events is the parents' reaction to their children. Recently, I attended my daughter's track meet. On the fourth and final lap of the boys' mile run everyone was clumped together except for the two front-runners who were leading the pack by a few yards. As the runners came toward the finish line, the crowd began to cheer wildly. Just then I happened to look about three quarters of a lap back, and there, hopelessly last, was a short portly kid who never should have WALKED a mile, let alone run one. His entire body was wobbling towards the finish line and his bright red face was twisted in the kind of pain that made me wonder if death was near. Suddenly, I was brushed by a frantic parent who was leaping down the bleachers to the rail surrounding the track. It was obviously the boy's mother. She yelled at the top of her lungs. 'JOHNNY, RUN FASTER!'

I will never forget the look of hopelessness on Johnny's face. He had to be thinking, "Run faster? Run faster? What am I? An idiot? What do you think is the problem here - I just FORGOT to run faster??? I'm running as fast as I can!"

Have you ever felt like Johnny? Here you are at worship on Sunday, weary from a week of contending with the storms of life, and what does the sermon say? RUN FASTER! or KEEP FOCUSED!