“Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Whether you realize it or not, if you are a Christian, the moment you received Jesus Christ as Lord of your life was when He gave you a pair of running shoes and a number.
You began a race. A marathon.
Only this marathon is unlike any other. It winds and takes you through hills and valleys, through a multitude of conditions and terrain, hot and cold, wet and dry, to beautiful hilltops and dark valleys. If you thought becoming a Christian was going to make your life easier, you are badly mistaken. It’s a fight, it’s a battle, it’s a hard run. And what is it that makes this race, this road so tough? Life…and our sin.
Sin is like putting weights on our legs. That is why the writer of Hebrews instructs us to lay aside every hindrance and sin. It only slows us down. The sad truth is that we hinder ourselves because we actually like some of these weights—weights that resemble pleasure, success, prestige, and power. Yeah, they slow us down, but they feel good. Well, for a little while anyway, until we realize they can never get us to where we want to go.
Heaven is the goal, the Gates of Heaven is the finish line, and Jesus is the prize. Your faith is the energy that keeps your legs moving. The saints that went before you are the fans cheering you on. They finished their race and now they’re rooting for you to finish yours.
The good news is that we are not running this race alone, nor are we running on our own steam because not only is Jesus the prize, He’s also the power. He is the one who not only gave us our faith in the first place, He’s the one who promises to perfect it. In other words, by His power we WILL finish the race. Guaranteed. He is strong for us when we are weak. By trusting in the Lord and not our own strength, we will, as Isaiah said, “renew our strength. We will mount up with eagles wings, we shall run and not be weary, we shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
Whatever your struggle, wherever you are in your race, don’t lose heart! Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith.