Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Hebrews 12:1-2 Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame….
THE RACE OF FAITH: SHEDDING THE BACKPACK
"...Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us..."
It's not likely that Olympic marathon runners will be carrying a backpack during the race. They know they need to shed anything that might hinder or slow them down.
Again, there are spiritual parallels. The devil, world, and sinful nature do everything possible to hang a backpack of unnecessary weights around our necks--anything to slow us down and trip us up in our race of faith.
One unnecessary weight is worry and anxiety. Our training manual (Holy Scripture) says: "Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). Our team leader (Jesus, our Savior) counsels: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble..." (Matthew 6:34). St. Paul, himself a victorious racer (see 2 Timothy 4:7-8), tells us: "...Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).
Fellow marathoners, daily contrition and repentance is key to shedding the backpack. Satan likes to hang sin of any kind around our necks. He knows that sin, pet sins in particular, have the capacity to sap our strength and trip us up in our race of faith.
Another key is staying focused on Jesus who "endured the cross, despising the shame" that we might be victorious with Him, "the author and finisher of our faith...."
Jesus Christ, be Thou our stay; O let us perish never!
Cleanse us from our sins, we pray, And grant us life forever.
Keep us from the evil one; Uphold our faith most holy,
And let us trust Thee solely With humble hearts and lowly.
Let us put God's armor on, With all true Christians running
Our heav'nly race and shunning The devil's wiles and cunning.
Amen, amen! This be done! O Lord, have mercy on us.
(Lutheran Service Book, 505)
