Ahead of us, a race to run

Authors:
Themes:
Scriptures:
  • Isaiah 40:31
  • Luke 21:36
  • Acts 13:43
  • 1 Corinthians 1:4
  • 1 Corinthians 15:10
  • 1 Corinthians 9:24-25
  • Ephesians 3:7-8
  • Philippians 3:13-14
  • Hebrews 12:1-2
  • 1 Peter 5:10
Book Number:
  • 892

Ahead of us, a race to run:
so, looking at the past no more,
forgetting what has gone before,
we fix our eyes on God the Son-
with eager diligence we train
as for the prize ahead we strain,
until at last our course is done.

2. He calls us now to run the race,
discarding every weight and load
to speed our way along the road;
the path we tread, the way of grace-
and though the journey may be long,
the grace of God will keep us strong
until we stand before his face.

© 1999 Kevin Mayhew Ltd
Martin E Leckebusch

The Christian Life - Perseverance

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Tune

  • Redston
    Redston
    Metre:
    • 88 88 888
    Composer:
    • Griffiths, Andrew Kenneth

The story behind the hymn

Section 8m ended with marching; 8n, ‘Perseverance’, begins with running. ‘One morning in September 1995’, says Martin Leckebusch, ‘I awoke with the phrase “run the race

A look at the author

Leckebusch, Martin Ernest

b Leicester 1962. King Edward VII Coll, Coalville, Leics; Oriel Coll Oxford; BA/MA (Maths) 1983; Brunel Univ Middx, MSc (Numerical Analysis) 1984. He worked for 16 yrs as a Computer Systems Programmer, followed by 5 as Support Specialist. In 2006 he was redirected to the role of Technical Design Authority for the IBM mainframe platform within Lloyds TSB. He has belonged to various CofE and Free Churches, including 6 yrs as a Methodist Local Preacher (1992–1998); currently a member of Kendal Rd Baptist Ch, Longlevens, Gloucester since 2001. His hymn-writing began in 1987; 144 hymn texts were collected in More than Words, 2000, some of which had appeared in earlier books including NewStart (1999, 6 hymns in a total of 71), Sing Glory (14 hymns), and Praise! A collection of 150 texts based on the Psalms, for singing to well-known tunes, appeared in 2006, giving a total of 275 texts by then in print. 6 of these are in Carol Praise (2006). In that year he also joined the Text Advisory Group (TAG) of Jubilate Hymns which he later chaired, and he also consults regularly with representatives of the more informal songwriters; he is active in the Hymn Soc, and lives with his family in Gloucester. In the 2005 edn of A Panorama of Christian Hymnody, which features 2 of his texts, Paul A Richardson notes their ‘conservative theology, biblical imagery and structural ingenuity’, adding that ML ‘advocates a restoration of hymnody in traditional forms to those who, like him, are in the charismatic wing of the church’. He is also keen to explore some issues often neglected by contemporary writers. By 2010, which saw the publication of a further collection Never Let the Songs End, the total number of his hymns had exceeded 400. Nos.270, 278, 285, 322, 381, 586, 604, 665, 756, 770, 771, 841, 856, 882, 892, 926, 936, 942, 1023, 1029, 1111, 1112, 1113, 1114, 1123, 1124, 1125, 1139, 1140, 1141, 1142, 1167, 1168, 1170, 1171, 1173, 1176, 1177, 1182, 1194, 1196, 1197, 1202, 1206, 1207, 1208, 1217, 1240, 1243.