The Christian Race
I want to read from Hebrews today. The author has spent chapter 11 recounting how the great figures in the Old Testament were people who lived by faith. Having named them, the author then says this in chapter 12:1-2: "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."
A few thoughts from this verse. First, are we going to even run the race this year? Perhaps some of you might remember the devotions I shared back in September 2024 about the race I ran in the Karoo mountains that year. I was quite into my running, but then last year I lost interest and I just stopped running. You can tell if you see me, that I'm not as fit as I was then!
I wonder if you've just lost interest and stopped running the race of faith? Perhaps it's even becoming evident that you are a bit spiritually flabby, since you've stopped the disciplines and habits that kept you in shape.
Is it time for you to begin running again? To begin training yourself spiritually, to get back into shape?
Persevering Through the Difficult Seasons
Secondly, the author says we are to run with perseverance. This, I suppose, was my problem last year when I stopped running. I wasn't really willing to persevere through the lull in motivation. I just stopped instead of persevering through. Again, this is common when it comes to running the race of faith too. We do well for a while, but then things get tough - life gets hard, temptations get strong, we get tired and weary, and instead of persevering in our faith despite our feelings, we let our feelings take us away from our faith.
May this not be the case this year! May we, instead, persevere. May we carry on with our race, even when we don't feel like it, or when we're tired or injured.
Eyes Fixed on Jesus
Lastly, the author says we should fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. When I ran that race in the Karoo, I remember trying to 'hold on' to other runners - not physically, but keeping them in my sights so that I could hold pace with them. In the Christian race, we do that too - we run together and help each other out. Perhaps there is somebody you need to keep in your sight and run with this year.
But ultimately, the author is saying, Jesus must be the one in our sights! We look at Him and see how He persevered through the trial of the cross, and kept running that race to the end, and we seek - with His help - to persevere through our race with the same dignity, grace, and love.
It's a new year. We're surrounded by many witnesses who have faithfully followed Christ before us. Let's run the race, with a spirit of perseverance, and keep our eyes on Jesus this year.
Running the race of faith requires perseverance and focus, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus even when motivation wanes. Evaluate your spiritual disciplines this year and commit to training yourself in godliness, just as you would for a physical race.