There is so much in Hebrews 12:2, but I’m going to focus on the first part – our focus.
The first thing I noticed was the word ‘this.’ The verse starts out with “We do this…” So, being the curious sort, I asked what THIS are we talking about?
I looked at the previous verse and found that the writer, inspired by God, had just talked about stripping off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up and about running with endurance the race God has set before us.
So, the THIS is stripping off every weight that slows us down or trips us up and running the race we’ve got.
I’ve never been a runner, but in our school physical education classes, we ran track sometimes. One thing I learned was that as I ran, I could not watch my feet and I could not watch the sidelines. Both brought disaster. Usually painful disaster.
But when I focused on the end, where I wanted to go, disaster was averted and my race was fully run.
The ‘race’ we are running is the life God has given us. The track is sometimes quite bumpy with great hills and deep valleys. Sometimes we have cheerleaders on the sidelines, other times we’re alone.
The worst times are when we have the distracting detractors who tell us we’ll never make it, that our past is catching up, that we’re just not cut out for this race, even telling us it’s time to give up and get out of the race.
That’s when we have to remember that Jesus is the birth of our faith and He will keep walking with us until we and our faith reach full maturity. He never leaves us. He is our finish line. He is the place we focus as we stay on the track and run our race despite all those distractions.
Today let’s shed those heavy ankle weights and the one on our waist and the ones on our wrists. Don’t forget the weighted blindfold around our eyes. And that cap? The one that hinders right thinking? Throw that thing down and stomp on it! Then bend over and tie those shoelaces up nice and tight.
Let’s look at the track God has set for us. Look along it as far as you can see. See your cheerleaders? See your detractors? Notice they’re there, but do not focus on them. Look down the middle of your track and see the One who loved you enough to die for you. The One who took your punishment. The One who holds your future.
Run to Him. Not as one running for his or her life, but as one determined to win this race by being who He designed you to be.
Ready?
Set?
GO!
Coffee, Bible, Journal.
