Hebrews 12 - 6.22.23

Scripture

Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

Observation

In this passage, the author uses the analogy of running a race, and comparing it to how we need to live our Christian lives. In a race, our eyes are always focused on the finish line. We keep grinding, we keep running, until we cross that finish line. We strip anything off from our bodies that may slow us down. We strive to do our best, so we can win that race.

And the same thing goes for us in our Christian life. As we run the race of our lives, we must run with our heads up and our eyes focused on Jesus. We need to keep striving each day to be more like Him. We need to strip off/take out anything in our lives that hinders us from completing this goal. And we keep “running” that race until He calls us home.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”-2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭

Application

What things in my life are slowing me down in this race of life? 🤔

Any athlete at the top of their sport got there with hard work and dedication. They had a strict focus. They made sure to get rid of any distractions in their way that would hinder them from achieving their goal. And just like that athlete, we too need to find the things in our life that is hindering us with our spiritual growth. Is our focus too much on our career? Is it family? Is it the friends we hang out with? Or maybe it’s the music we listen to or the movies we watch?‬‬ Whatever the case may be, we need to FOCUS!

I love how our church implements the discipline of prayer and fasting. We do it every year in January, and we also implement these times during various parts of the year as well. It’s a great way to hit the “reset” button. It’s a way we can get our focus back on God. We rid ourselves of all the distractions, (television, secular music, social media, and yes, even food), that can slow us down from our spiritual growth, and more importantly, hinder us from our relationship with God. Then we replace those things with spending more time with God by reading His Word and praying. It helps us get our eyes and our focus back on Jesus.

So are we stuck in a rut right now? Did we hit that “wall” in our spiritual life? Do we need our “second wind” so we can get back in the race and cross that finish line? How about we fast and pray. See what breakthroughs can happen when we put our focus back on God.

Prayer

Father God, I pray that I can finish this race strong. I pray that I can hear Your words when I cross the finish line telling me, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Give me the strength and endurance to continue running. May I keep my eyes focused on You. May I stay on course and help others around me cross that finish line along the way. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽

-Moses Gaddi