“… let us strip off and
throw aside every unnecessary weight and the sin which so cleverly clings to
and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady, active
persistence the appointed course that has been set before us, looking away from
all that will distract us to Jesus, who is the Leader and the Source of our
faith; the One who brings it to maturity and perfection.”* Hebrews 12:1b-2a
Paul, writing to Greek-speaking Jews who
had heard the gospel and embraced Christ as their Messiah, likens a Christian’s
walk to a race. As with runners, one
must pace themselves. To be a successful
distance runner requires endless hours of training to build up their
endurance. They must be persistent in
their training and not falter lest they fall by the way side. Likewise, a believer must be persistent in
matters of faith, trusting the Lord under all circumstances or they will
falter.
The
unnecessary weight that Paul speaks of represents worldly cares and the
stresses of life that dampen our spirits with astounding regularity. It is for this reason that we must fix our
gaze on the One in whom we have placed our faith and trust. He is the only One who can cause in us a
spiritual maturing. Although not literally
perfect, those who have surrendered their will to the Lord are seen as perfect in God’s sight.
Our walk
with Christ can be a revolutionary event in our lives if we remain patient and
endure all things. The longer we serve
Christ and grow in God’s grace, the more like Him we will become in thought,
word and deed. Therefore, cast off that which weighs us down and run a steady
course in the name of Christ and you will be a success in the Kingdom of
God. Until next time, walk with the King
and be a blessing!
* A subtle variation on the Amplified Bible
text.
