Monday, June 30, 2008

Running the Race

The 11th chapter of Hebrews spoke of faith, and gave examples from the OT about many of what we know as "heroes" of the Bible in their faith, when things seemed impossible for them. Chapter 12 starts out referencing back to them and it says, "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 perserverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart".
There are a lot of messages in those three short verses.
The things that hinder us as believers can be doubt, unbelief, fear...anything that opposes faith in the Lord's faithfulness. The race that we run is our daily walk as a Christian; sometimes it's an easy road, sometimes it's got its share of trials and sorrows. The solution to keep from falling out of the race is to keep our eyes focused on Jesus. Think about Him, his life, and all that he went through for each one of us.
Not only did he live a sinless life, but he was put on trial, beaten, mocked, spit upon, and betrayed by those who had once followed him. He kept his eyes and his heart focused on the promises that God the Father had given him, and he willingly laid down his life for us. If we let the reality of what Jesus did for us be a constant thought in our minds, and how he promises us of a life eternal with him in Heaven if we only believe in him, then it's a whole lot easier to get through our daily lives with a spirit of faith and hope, just like Jesus did.
If you are not a believer, but question the existance of Jesus not just as a man, but as God himself in the flesh, I urge you today to give those questions to the One who can answer them for you. Let God reveal himself to you through Jesus, the living Son of God, "THE way, THE truth, and THE life".
Have a blessed week and remember to tell those you love how much they mean to you.

Janelle

No comments: