Scripture

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run the race marked out for us.

Observation

We are surrounded by the witnesses, the heroes of the faith, who are watching us and cheering us on in this race. So we should throw off the sins that entangle us and everything that might slow us down, and run the race that God has set for us.

To do this, we should set our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. If we keep our eyes on Him, we will not grow weary in the face of opposition.

We have not yet endured to the shedding of our blood. We must consider any hardship as discipline from the Lord, and rejoice that He loves us as sons and daughters.

Application

The heroes of faith mentioned in the previous chapter should spur us on to greater faith. None of them was perfect, yet they walked faithfully with God.

It is important to throw off the sins that hold us back. Some sins are easily overcome, but others are much harder to get rid of. The trouble with most sins is that we enjoy them. So we need to discern what God is saying we must let go of.

An athlete will arrange their whole life around their training. They will eat foods that build up strength, and avoid those that detract from their goals. For christians, our whole life must revolve around what God wants for us.

For some people, there are things in life that are totally acceptable to the Lord. For oterh christians, these same things are not what God wants for them, and for them they are sinful.

We must run the race God has set for us. A swimmer must be at the right pool in the correct event. A pole vaulter will not win a medal if they run the 100 metre race. I must run the race God has marked out for me, even if someone else’s looks more appealing.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the knowledge of your love. Please show me the things I need to let go of in order to run the race you have set for me. Amen.