Learning to Run Your Race...
Hebrews Chapter 12
Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2 (New Living Translation)
“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 hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven.”
Observation and Application: It might be hard to believe to people who know me now but running has at times in my life been very important to me. Some of the things my first track coach taught me really fit this passage of Scripture.
1. When you are preparing to run in a race you have to know what you are capable of and what your strategy will be. You have to know how you need to start, where you need to conserve your strength and where you can start your kick. Even though you are running against other people you are really only running against yourself. You are running to beat your best time and you need to know how to run your race.
This is just like Chapter 12:1; we are told to run the race that is set before us. It is our own race. We are to run the race that God has chosen for us to run. It is different than anyone else’s race. To put in the first person; I am to run my race, the race that God has laid out before me. He knows what I am capable of and He knows how I need to start out and finish.
2. Another thing I learned was to pick out another runner in front of me and let that runner draw me to them. It was a way to conserve energy almost like drafting them as a race car would do. This technique would take your mind off how you were feeling and you would focus on the other person. They would literally pull you along and if you passed them you would just choose someone new. If there was no one in front of you then you could choose an object in the distance and draw yourself to it.
These verses tell us to look to Jesus like that other runner. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the one that draws us forward, that takes our mind off our own condition and literally gives us His strength. We rely on Him to pull us forward and He is there to help us finish our race.
3. My coach also taught me to choose the right clothes and shoes to run in. Light weight material was important for my clothes and my shoes. Heavy clothes would slow me down and the wrong shoes would wear my feet out and cause me to tire more quickly. The wrong clothes would also retain water, become heavy and begin to chafe me. With wet clothes I would slow down and even injure myself. I might not at first notice what was happening but eventually I would become aware of my condition and the pain I was suffering and I might even feel like quitting the race.
The author of Hebrews is telling us that we have to get rid of anything and everything that would slow us down. Sin is like those wet clothes. We might not even be aware of all the ways that sin is affecting us but eventually we wake up and realize how bad we are hurting. We notice the damage that has been done and we might even feel like giving up.
4. One thing I learned about running is that it is always easier when you have people cheering you on. You just seem to be able to find extra strength or another gear. You suddenly feel better and are actually running faster. It is amazing what happens when people are cheering you on. You forget about all that has happened during the race and you want to do better, try harder maybe even pass a few people. You feel like a winner even if you are in last place. But most of all when people are cheering for you the desire to finish well, just takes over. You can’t stop, you have to finish, you have to make it and with encouragement you know you can cross the finish line.
In Hebrews chapter 12:1, it is amazing to discover that we are surrounded by people cheering us on. We are not alone. There are others who have finished their race ahead of us and they want us to cross the finish line too.
5. The last thing that I learned about racing is that the prize is always worth the price. As hard as the race was to run when you finished the race and you received your prize the sense of accomplishment you felt inside far outweighed the pain. You keep saying to yourself, “I did it, I made it, I finished!”
How awesome to see in verse 2, that Jesus endured the pain of the cross for us and when he sees us He feels the joy of accomplishment. We are His prize! We are the ones who made His race worthwhile; that gave His race meaning, purpose and fulfillment.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice! Help me to not complain about my race but run it with you. Thank you for all the encouragement that you have provided for me. Please show me the sin that is slowing me down and injuring me. Help me to faithfully keep my eyes on you and not look at the race of others, instead help me to obey the strategy that you have laid out for my race.
Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2 (New Living Translation)
“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 hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven.”
Observation and Application: It might be hard to believe to people who know me now but running has at times in my life been very important to me. Some of the things my first track coach taught me really fit this passage of Scripture.
1. When you are preparing to run in a race you have to know what you are capable of and what your strategy will be. You have to know how you need to start, where you need to conserve your strength and where you can start your kick. Even though you are running against other people you are really only running against yourself. You are running to beat your best time and you need to know how to run your race.
This is just like Chapter 12:1; we are told to run the race that is set before us. It is our own race. We are to run the race that God has chosen for us to run. It is different than anyone else’s race. To put in the first person; I am to run my race, the race that God has laid out before me. He knows what I am capable of and He knows how I need to start out and finish.
2. Another thing I learned was to pick out another runner in front of me and let that runner draw me to them. It was a way to conserve energy almost like drafting them as a race car would do. This technique would take your mind off how you were feeling and you would focus on the other person. They would literally pull you along and if you passed them you would just choose someone new. If there was no one in front of you then you could choose an object in the distance and draw yourself to it.
These verses tell us to look to Jesus like that other runner. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the one that draws us forward, that takes our mind off our own condition and literally gives us His strength. We rely on Him to pull us forward and He is there to help us finish our race.
3. My coach also taught me to choose the right clothes and shoes to run in. Light weight material was important for my clothes and my shoes. Heavy clothes would slow me down and the wrong shoes would wear my feet out and cause me to tire more quickly. The wrong clothes would also retain water, become heavy and begin to chafe me. With wet clothes I would slow down and even injure myself. I might not at first notice what was happening but eventually I would become aware of my condition and the pain I was suffering and I might even feel like quitting the race.
The author of Hebrews is telling us that we have to get rid of anything and everything that would slow us down. Sin is like those wet clothes. We might not even be aware of all the ways that sin is affecting us but eventually we wake up and realize how bad we are hurting. We notice the damage that has been done and we might even feel like giving up.
4. One thing I learned about running is that it is always easier when you have people cheering you on. You just seem to be able to find extra strength or another gear. You suddenly feel better and are actually running faster. It is amazing what happens when people are cheering you on. You forget about all that has happened during the race and you want to do better, try harder maybe even pass a few people. You feel like a winner even if you are in last place. But most of all when people are cheering for you the desire to finish well, just takes over. You can’t stop, you have to finish, you have to make it and with encouragement you know you can cross the finish line.
In Hebrews chapter 12:1, it is amazing to discover that we are surrounded by people cheering us on. We are not alone. There are others who have finished their race ahead of us and they want us to cross the finish line too.
5. The last thing that I learned about racing is that the prize is always worth the price. As hard as the race was to run when you finished the race and you received your prize the sense of accomplishment you felt inside far outweighed the pain. You keep saying to yourself, “I did it, I made it, I finished!”
How awesome to see in verse 2, that Jesus endured the pain of the cross for us and when he sees us He feels the joy of accomplishment. We are His prize! We are the ones who made His race worthwhile; that gave His race meaning, purpose and fulfillment.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice! Help me to not complain about my race but run it with you. Thank you for all the encouragement that you have provided for me. Please show me the sin that is slowing me down and injuring me. Help me to faithfully keep my eyes on you and not look at the race of others, instead help me to obey the strategy that you have laid out for my race.
