READY: “ . . . 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. Let us fix our eyes on
Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Consider him . . .
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” –Hebrews 12:1-3
SET: The author of Hebrews, in the first few verses of the
twelfth chapter, introduced a powerful athletic metaphor in
which the Christian life is compared to a race and if you know
Jesus then you are a participant, the issue is not if we are
running but how we are running.
I think the race this author had in mind was a long distance
marathon, with some obstacles thrown in along the way. In any
case we are told to run unhindered, we are told to RUN FREELY.
There is no way you are going to win trying to run with an extra
load. “Throw off” any impediment that would hinder your running.
Take it off! Strip down! Get rid of any sinful thought, action,
habit, or relationship. Sin will trip you up and cause you to
fall. Is there something or someone slowing you down? Are you
dragging something behind you? Get rid of it! Run Freely!
The words “fixing our eyes on Jesus” carries the emphasis of
running fast, moving ahead, making progress, and with undivided
attention - we’re to RUN FOCUSED. There’s an old saying: “What
gets your attention, gets you!” Jesus, as the Author and
Perfecter of your faith, he has given you a course to run and He
has it already mapped out. You need to know that no obstacle
will come up that will surprise Him so you can trust in Him to
get you through it. You can find out some of the course by
reading God’s Word and praying for Him to lead you. Not all of
it is always revealed but that’s where faith comes in. Just
trust that Jesus will show you as you seek Him and follow His
lead. As long as you stay on the path that God has marked for
you, you can never go wrong!
By 7 p.m. on October 20, 1968, at the Mexico City Olympics
Stadium, it was beginning to darken. The last of the Olympic
marathon runners were finishing. Over an hour earlier, Mamo
Waldi of Ethiopia had crossed the finish line, winning the race
looking as strong as when he’d started. As the last spectators
began preparing to leave, they heard police sirens at the gate
entering the stadium. Their attention turned to a sole figure,
wearing Tanzania colors, limping into the stadium. It was John
Steven Aquari. He was the last man to finish the marathon. He
had taken a bad fall early in the race and his leg was bandaged
and bloody. Now, it was all he could do to limp his way around
the track. The crowd stood and applauded as he completed that
last lap. When Aquari finally crossed the finish line, he was
asked, "Why didn’t you quit? Why didn’t you give up?" Aquari,
with quiet dignity said, "My country did not send me seven
thousand miles to start this race. My country sent me to
finish." You’ve been put in a race marked out for you, to RUN
FREELY, to RUN FOCUSED, and to RUN TO FINISH!
God didn’t just send you to start this race. He didn’t just
send you to begin a noble task. The Lord sent you both to start
and to finish. REMEMBER: In Jesus, YOU CAN DO IT! (John 15:5)
GO: 1. Are you trying to run with extra weight? 2. How is your
focus? 3. Are you staying strong for the race?
WORKOUT: Psalm 37:3-5; Psalm 40:4; Psalm 27:14; Psalm 31:24
OVERTIME: Jesus, help me run strong, stay strong, and finish
strong in the race You’ve marked out for me. Amen.
