-Joe Fornear
In the human “race” we all have a course marked out for us – a path God allows for His highest purposes. Sometimes the course is a pleasant power walk around a soft, oval track. At times it’s a crawl over vast stretches of unforgiving wilderness.
The imagery of life as a race was used by the author of Hebrews when writing to a group of Christ followers. They were reeling from the violent reaction to their new found faith in Jesus. Some had been imprisoned and others had their possessions confiscated (Hebrews 10:34). Many were wondering if the fight was even worth it. Did you ever feel like your race may not be worth it? I have. During my battle with Stage IV metastatic melanoma, I felt imprisoned by bed rails while cancer carted off huge chunks of my valuables – time, health, finances and well-being.
Yet for perspective, spending time in the literal wilderness was a common leg in the journey of many of God’s favorites. Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Joshua, Caleb, Elijah, David, Paul, even Jesus, did some laps in the desert. John the Baptist knew his course would eventually lead there, so early on in his ministry he just picked out a desert cave!
So considering the ways of The Great Charter of Courses, I wonder if we spend too much time trying to change our journey and not enough time mastering its challenges. Don’t get me wrong, I think we should diligently and boldly seek course change – be it physical healing or deliverance from a rough situation. Even Jesus sought a Plan B route before His crucifixion in the Garden of Gethsemane! Yet there is a stumbling block in forgetting to move forward while we wait for circumstantial change. Hebrews describes this tendency to get off track as being “encumbered” or “entangled” – neither are good when we’re trying to run.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:1-2
So what are these encumbrances and entanglements? To name a few:
- Self-pity – Giving our troubles way too much power.
- Resentment – A grudge against another – Giving another person way too much power.
- Shame – A grudge against ourselves – Giving our own righteousness way too much power.
- Discontentment – A grudge against God – Giving Him too little power to satisfy our souls.
So listen up; hear the cheers from “the great cloud of witnesses” that are rooting you on each step of the way! Run your course with endurance – it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Above all, “fix your eyes on Jesus.” He not only models focus for us in the midst of trials, but as “author and perfecter of our faith,” He works that same supernatural focus into us!
