Prayer
– Lord, show me how can keep my eyes on You, Jesus. You endured so much—on the
cross for me, for my family, and friends—for all humanity. Thank you! You
endured for joy! Have you attained that joy?
Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,
let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so
easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before
us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and
perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross,
disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's
throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you
won't become weary and give up. Hebrews
12:1-3.jpg)
Start Your Race!
Endure.
Meditate.
Think about endurance.
Run. It
is so hot right now…109 degrees F as I write this…that I can’t even think about
being outside, let alone running anywhere! Walking, kayaking, or yardwork must
be done before 10 AM in the cool of the morning. Here the writer of Hebrews is talking
about running a race of endurance—one that is not just a little sprint—but a marathon
type of race that requires perseverance, persistence, stamina, and
determination. That is what endurance is all about. That is the type of race in
which God expects us to take part. One that requires a steadfastness. We can’t
just give up if we get tired. We must loyally endure even through trials and
suffering. God didn’t promise that it would be an easy race…but that He will
never leave us or forsake us. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus.
The
author points out that sin trips us up—and that could be dangerous. Tripping
while running. SPLAT! Sin is sin. That is not acceptable in God’s eyes—it is the
reason Jesus went to the cross. We can only hope for the joy like Jesus knew He
had waiting for Him. Joy—gladness and cheerfulness—is a fruit of the spirit. Run
with that joy of Jesus. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Do what He does. Don’t get tired
and give up. Never give up. Keep the joy that awaits you, just like Jesus.
What is
your choice today? Can you run the race of endurance?
Verse
of Salvation ~ But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness
in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, "The LORD is
great!" Psalm
40:16
© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks
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