Running the Race Part 1

Often times in sports you hear the old saying that a season is a marathon, not a sprint. This saying is true. It's not how fast you start, it's how you finish. Many times in sports you see teams racing out to these fast starts and gaudy records only to see them falter when it matters the most and then what can be called a successful season, ends up a disappointment.  

In life, you never know what day could be your last and the race is on to live for Jesus and do His will and bring as many people to Him as you can. There is no time to waste when it comes to spreading God's word. Two of my favorite verses in the bible are from Hebrews 12:1-2 which says, 1Therefore since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne. Those two verses are so powerful and teach us many things about what God wants us to do in our lives. 

There are two things for verse 1 that I want to touch on and then I will cover the areas of verse 2 in Part two of this entry. 

"let us lay aside every weight and sin that so easily ensnares us"

This part of verse 1 calls us to break away from the weight of everyday things that tend to bog us down and lay it all at the cross.  Many people struggle with just turning everything over to God and letting Him working their lives. I have struggled with it myself and still do, but I am doing everything in my power to give every struggle, problem, and care to God and let Him lead my every step because that is what He wants from us. He wants us to trust and depend on Him for EVERYTHING. 

"run with endurance the race that lies before us"

The second part of verse 1 calls us to run the race and be a witness for God for as long as we are on this earth to seek Him without ceasing. God not only wants us to seek Him and follow Him, He wants us to lead others to Him. Running with endurance means that we must continue to witness for God even when people reject Him and we think it is too hard. We must persevere. No one said it would be easy. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. God gives the toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. Seek God and do His work, for this is the race set before us.

Suggested Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2