Monday, November 26, 2012
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
THE RACE OF FAITH: FOCUS ON WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN WELL
You are not in this life to climb the ladder of success, or to accumulate prizes, or even to be happy. You are in a race of faith in which your objective is to make it to the end of your time of grace connected to Jesus Christ. Simple, yet how many Christians have dropped out of the faith and given up because their focus has zeroed in on something else. We are encouraged to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us (Hebrews 12:1).
It would be strange to see a marathon runner strap on ankle weights, or a hundred meter sprinter wearing jeans and a parka. In fact, it's just the opposite. Runners will wear as little as possible that would restrict their movements. Swimmers try to find the way to go through the water with the least amount of resistance that is possible.
What is the extra weight that make a Christian want to give up his faith? It could be something positive or negative. It might be that a person is having great success in business or has found a hobby that drives him in his free time, and that happiness would be an obstacle between him and his Savior. It could be that a person is immersed in grief or becomes despondent because of a lack of success and that discourages him from his connection to Christ.
Temptations of all sorts threaten to trip us up and make us forget that we are even in the race of faith. Here again those temptations can range from enjoying sin to despairing over our guilt. The race that we run is far more difficult spiritually than a special forces obstacle course is physically. This is true both in the intensity and duration of the race.
Do what it takes to cast aside distractions and remember that you're in a race with a finish line worth striving for.
