FAITH MAKES LIFE JOURNEY POSSIBLE
SCRIPTURE:
“Therefore, 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, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1—3 NIV)
OBSERVATION:
Faith is what holds a believer’s life together. The author pointed out to the Hebrew believers, saying that such a great cloud of witnesses surrounded them. These witnesses are those whom the author was talking about in chapter 11. They are those who, with faith, conquered everything life threw at them. They were able to hold on to the promises of God in spite of all the hellish problems they had encountered. Therefore, faith makes life possible and solves life’s problems.
How does the faith of those witnesses work that can help me walk this life of faith? The author reminded me of how faith can grow.
- Let us throw off everything that hinders…People sometimes want to move forward even while holding on to the things that hinder their walk with the Lord. The author emphatically said to THROW OFF EVERYTHING that hinders our faith from growing. What we do not throw off will itself throw us off from the walk of faith.
- Let us throw off the sin that easily entangles. We have sin areas that often ENTANGLES us. Some may be lying habits, excuses, lust, greed, and pride. We all have our pet peeves and sins that easily entangle us and strangle our lives of faith.
- Let us run with PERSEVERANCE, the race marked out for us. Each one has its own race marked out for us to run. Every race we run, we must persevere in it. I need help to do the perseverance part in order for me to win my race. I must run with perseverance.
- Let us FIX our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith. To win my race, my goal is Jesus, not other believers. Jesus is the pioneer of the race that I have in life, and he is the one who will perfect my faith to finish the race. He will coach, teach, rebuke, encourage, and lead me to the completion of my race.
- Let us set JOY of the goal of our faith before us. Faith and our race have a goal, and that is to endure difficulties until we sit down with God in eternity. The goal of our race is NOT down here on earth but up there with the Father of our faith. Without the joy of our goal, we will be weakened by the adversity in our race. The Joy of our goal is our strength to endure and persevere.
- Let us CONSIDER him Christ, who endured opposition from sinners so that we will not grow weary and lose heart. Christ is always the goal of our faith. He endured, and he overcame the opposition of sinners, and he did not grow weary nor lose heart in the race.
APPLICATION:
Sometimes, my eyes are on how others are running their race of faith. Other times I have grown weary and lack the joy in my faith. Today, I am reminded that the goal of my race of faith is to run it like Jesus did. Jesus always kept the JOY of the goal of his race is to be seated at the right hand of the father. I want to run my race and keep my eyes on Christ as the pioneer and the perfector of my faith.
PRAYER:
Jesus, I thank you for reminding me of how to run my race of faith. I often set my eyes on the wrong place. Please help me always keep my eyes on you, the pioneer and the perfector of my faith in this race of life. Please help me always to have the joy of the life of faith before me, and that is to be like you in perseverance and endurance until the end. Help me never to grow weary nor to lose heart in my journey of faith. Thank you for your grace and love. Amen!
