- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
- Messages
- 18,103
word-on-the-web - daily Bible reflections powered by FishFood Media
Today's Passage: Hebrews 12 v 1-2
We have around us many people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back. Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne.
Notes
I've never been a great sportsperson, preferring to admire the athleticism of others from my armchair rather than do it myself, but I've always been fascinated by those runners that I sometimes see training in the streets with a rucksack on their backs filled with some heavy weights. Now, I appreciate that they are trying to build up their stamina, but I'm so tempted to tap them on the shoulder and say, "You do realise that you'll run a lot better without that on your back!"
The problem is that many of us, like the original readers of this letter, seem to try to run the Christian race with an equally heavy burden on our backs, and it certainly isn't there to build up our stamina. Instead it "holds us back" from being the people that God wants us to be.
Of course there is our sin but there is also all those other things "that would get in the way" such as our feelings of guilt, our regrets, our sense of failure or inadequacy, our unresolved relationships and so on. No doubt, each one of us is only too aware of our own obstacles.
But the writer points to the answer - focus on Jesus. It was him who started us on this race and he has made it perfect. And what's more, he endured death on the cross for our sin. He has sorted our sin out and wants to deal with our other issues as well so that we can experience the joy that God has put before us.
So next time you're struggling or having a "downer" on yourself, just remember that Jesus is saying, "You do realise that you'll run a lot better without that on your back! Let me take it from you."
Prayer
Father God, thank you that your Son did all that was necessary to deal with my sin, my failings, my regrets, my sense of guilt. Help me to truly let go of them so that I might run your perfect race. Amen
Today's Passage: Hebrews 12 v 1-2
We have around us many people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back. Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne.
Notes
I've never been a great sportsperson, preferring to admire the athleticism of others from my armchair rather than do it myself, but I've always been fascinated by those runners that I sometimes see training in the streets with a rucksack on their backs filled with some heavy weights. Now, I appreciate that they are trying to build up their stamina, but I'm so tempted to tap them on the shoulder and say, "You do realise that you'll run a lot better without that on your back!"
The problem is that many of us, like the original readers of this letter, seem to try to run the Christian race with an equally heavy burden on our backs, and it certainly isn't there to build up our stamina. Instead it "holds us back" from being the people that God wants us to be.
Of course there is our sin but there is also all those other things "that would get in the way" such as our feelings of guilt, our regrets, our sense of failure or inadequacy, our unresolved relationships and so on. No doubt, each one of us is only too aware of our own obstacles.
But the writer points to the answer - focus on Jesus. It was him who started us on this race and he has made it perfect. And what's more, he endured death on the cross for our sin. He has sorted our sin out and wants to deal with our other issues as well so that we can experience the joy that God has put before us.
So next time you're struggling or having a "downer" on yourself, just remember that Jesus is saying, "You do realise that you'll run a lot better without that on your back! Let me take it from you."
Prayer
Father God, thank you that your Son did all that was necessary to deal with my sin, my failings, my regrets, my sense of guilt. Help me to truly let go of them so that I might run your perfect race. Amen
