Day at the Races: And Down the Stretch They Come! — Thursday
Hebrews 12:1
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… (NIV)
I’ve noticed that within the pages of the Bible, there appear to be a number of metaphors involving running, which I can appreciate because I actually enjoy running. At this point in my life, I have at least begun training for three half marathons. However, I have never actually run a half marathon. The first half marathon I trained for was canceled due to flooding from a hurricane. Before the second, I broke my foot during a pickup basketball game. Finally, the week leading up to the third, I contracted RSV and was too sick to race. My wife assures me that this is a sign I should probably stop signing up for these races. I, on the other hand, am not as convinced. I still believe I’ll cross that finish line one day.
The author of Hebrews intentionally chose to compare our spiritual life with a race that is marked out for us. For some context, the author’s intended readers of this letter were enduring harsh persecution. For many, it would be a lot easier to throw in the towel and abandon their faith. The author ensures his readers that, like running a race, there will be hardships on the “course” that is this life, and it will certainly be a challenge to finish with our faith intact. However, we are encouraged, regardless of life’s circumstances, to keep running. But how do we do that?
The most helpful tip someone shared with me before I began training for a half marathon was to “keep my eyes on the prize.” There were plenty of days when I just didn’t feel like getting out to train, but I always remembered what the bigger picture was. I think the same can be true of our walk with God: Keep your eyes on the prize! Regardless of life’s circumstances, keep your eyes on Jesus. When life gets tough and you don’t have the strength to go on, fix your eyes on Jesus. Every race has a finish line, and Jesus is waiting at the end of ours to share His trophy with us!
Thursday’s Reflection
Thinking about life being like a race, is there any area of your life where you need to “train” more? Maybe that looks like praying more, reading your Bible more, checking in with a fellow believer, etc. Today’s challenge is to recognize that area of your life and make a plan to incorporate one of those disciplines into your routine.
