Friday, November 12, 2010

AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN MY OWN SALVATION

Edison Pena, perhaps the most famous of the rescued Chilean miners, travelled to New York to appear on the David Letterman show and to participate in the New York marathon.  He was also treated to a visit to Graceland after it became known that he was a big Elvis fan.  In order to remain healthy while trapped underground he ran 3 - 6 miles every day listening to Elvis on his ipod.

According to the early interviews he found the first days following the mine collapse to be a ‘living hell’ but then he picked himself up and decided to run at least 3 miles every day.

In an interview I heard with him – through his translator, the only English he can speak are the words to Elvis songs! – he said something that I found to be extremely profound.  Something I have thought much about since I heard it.

"I was running to show that I wasn't just waiting around," he said. "I was running to be an active participant in my own salvation. I was running because I was also contributing to the struggle for our rescue.  I also wanted God to see that I really wanted to live."

“….. an active participant in my own salvation.”

A philosophy that would, in my opinion, benefit each of us.  Certainly one that I intend to embrace.  Become an active participant in my own salvation.


3 comments:

  1. "I also wanted God to see that I really wanted to live."

    I love that line, as well. I love that fact that he had something to actually do while he was waiting to be saved, physically saved, by humans. He grabbed what could have been a totally passive, victim- and fear-based experience and turned it into an active, affirmative, heroic one. What a guy!

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  2. Hi, Young Lady:

    About getting updates from my blog: I'm not getting yours either! I am new to all the features on this site, so I will poke around it and see what I can do.

    JC

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  3. Hi:

    Last week I noticed that you had taken the video off and changed the font of this blog entry. Today it is back to the way you had it originally.

    Wha' hoppened?

    JC

    ReplyDelete