Lesotho children give each other high fives after receiving new gloves for the cold winter months.
Who Owns What?
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. (NIV) 1 Chronicles 29:11
God made two great lights– the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. (NIV) Genesis 1:16
. . .for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. (NIV) Psalm 50:10-11
‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. (NIV) Haggai 2:8
“To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. (NIV) Job 12:13
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; (NIV) Psalm 24:1
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (NIV) James 1:17
Who owns what? God owns it all. . . everything! There is nothing that exists that is not His. And because He owns it all, will you join me in praising Him. . .
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. (NIV) 1 Chronicles 29:11-14
Worth the Wait!
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (NIV) Hebrews 12:2
Hope in the future:
O Lord You are my hope and my salvation. I envision You standing at the finish line of my race. . .not back in the crowd. . .but right at the line waiting for me with a big smile on Your face. . . Your arms stretched out waiting for me to fall into Your embrace. And Your eyes are glowing. . . radiating the love You have for me. . .communicating, “Everything I went through, the shame, the suffering of the cross, the frustration, it was worth it to have you with Me.”
I stumble into Your arms and am embraced with Your nail scarred hands, kissed by the face that was beaten. I am with love eternal, love overflowing, love overwhelming, love sufficient, love without fail. I am with the One who loves me more than life itself. I am with my Beloved Jesus. O what a day it will be! What an eternity it will be!
A Prayer to Pray:
O dear Jesus, I need that embracing love today. I know You are with me, but I need to feel Your arms around me, be filled with Your presence, and to know that I am protected.
The Finish Line
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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (NIV) Hebrews 12:1-3
Once the author of Hebrews tells us how to run, he turns our focus to the finish line. We are to focus on the Finisher, Jesus. Why do we fix our focus on Him? Because He is the author and perfecter of our faith. The Author – the Originator, the Founder, the Leader, the First, the Beginning. He is the initiator of our faith. And He is the Perfecter – the Finisher, the One who reached the goal. He started it all and He finished His task. Jesus endured.
Where was Christ’s focus? It was on His goal: first the cross, then the throne. The result was joy. Joy in knowing He was returning to His Father. Joy in defeating sin and death once and for all. Joy in knowing that someday we would live in eternity with Him!
We are told to consider Him, consider Jesus. Think about Him, meditate about Him, learn about Him, and seek after Him. So that when you grow weary, when you are tempted to lose heart and when you are exhausted in the middle of the race, you can focus on the finish when you meet Him face to face! The exhilaration will be greater than entering the Olympic stadium at the end of the marathon. . .the roar of the crowd will be deafening. . .there will be cheering and applause as Heaven expresses its approval.
So where is your focus? Fix your eyes on Jesus and race with long obedience in the same direction. . .until you reach the end. . .taking one step after another. . .running the race for an audience of One, Jesus!
Throw It Off!
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) Hebrews 12:1
To win the race it takes more than just running with endurance. The author of Hebrews writes that we are to throw off everything that hinders us. We are to get rid of all encumbrances and entanglements. An encumbrance is excess weight for the runner. The Greek custom was to strip off clothes to run unencumbered. They wanted to get rid of anything that hindered their progress.
We are also instructed to throw off every entanglement, anything hindering or preventing progress toward spiritual maturity. Specifically we are to “throw off” the sin that entangles us. Notice that this is not something God does, this is what we do daily. For us, in our race of faith, encumbrances could be procrastination, lack of mental discipline, impatience, not forgiving others, indifferent attitudes, jealousy, gossip, selfish ambition, or any sin that God brings to your mind.
It is Christ’s death on the cross that enables us to come to Him, confess our sins, and claim forgiveness. A look back with acknowledgment of what Christ has done for you will motivate you in your forward progress in your own race of faith. Looking back to the Cross is the motivation to keep looking to the future…to run with endurance.
Gathered Together
Running with Endurance
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) Hebrews 12:1
I love watching the Olympics. The dedication of the athletes is amazing. Few events are more demanding than the marathon, 26.2 grueling miles! Marathons take tremendous endurance. Runners need to run the race with perseverance. Endurance includes a determined effort, running a steady pace and refusing to be defeated. A runner may have great talent and energy, but each has to run the complete course before claiming victory. It is not enough to be leading the pack at the first turn. The race must be run at a steady pace all the way from start to finish.
To meet these challenges athletes have to train. To increase their cardiovascular endurance they need proper nutrition and rest. Muscles need to be strengthened to prepare for the challenge. To enter the Olympic Games during New Testament times an athlete was required to undergo 10 months of rigorous training. No exceptions were tolerated. A pampered body meant a lost race. Flabby athletes received no medals. Endurance meant that obstacles did not daunt them and discouragements did not take their hope away.
Endurance in ministry is essential. There are times when I feel exhausted in the 26.2 mile race. But, I am determined to run the race that is marked out for me! The last couple of months have been a bit of a “training” setback for me. But, I am recovering nicely from back surgery and I am back on the track!
God has been good to us. The Internet ministry stayed on pace. In July, over 200,000 people around the world heard messages from God’s Word via the Internet and email. Anchor Your Life’s ministry in Lesotho, Southern Africa picked up speed. Throughout our time in Lesotho, we have witnessed God working in remarkable ways.
Marathon runners need to keep re-fueling and hydrating their bodies throughout the race. Ministries are no different. Your support keeps our ministry running the race. Will you prayerfully consider how you might be able to assist us with running a steady pace in God’s work?
I am reminded as I watch the Olympics that we all need consistency in our spiritual training to produce endurance, to be faithful in our own race of faith. It takes daily discipline spending time with God in prayer and Bible study. It takes a balanced diet of spiritual food, the Word of God. And it takes self control – setting our priorities based upon God’s standards and expectations from His Word. Training for a Christian is judging everything by the standard: Will it help me finish the race? And, when we finish the race, my prayer for all of us is that we each hear: “Well done My good and faithful servant,” from our loving Father. God bless you!
Written by Marji “Mike” Kruger
The Race
The analogy of running the race is used in many places throughout the New Testament. The people of that day understood the analogy. Races were conducted on days of national festivity. The emperor was in regal attire sitting within his purple curtained booth. There was row upon row reaching upward of a vast multitude of spectators. Every eye was fixed on the runners who were straining every muscle. The aim of athletes was nothing short of winning. To win the race demanded stamina, perseverance, dedication, and discipline. The runners were willing to give up everything to win the gold. Champions received the adulation and unlimited benefits from his city.
The Christian life is not a short sprint, but rather like a marathon for a runner. It is hard work. The word for race in the Greek is “agon.” It is the root word that we get our word “agony.” The race is an agonizing, tough marathon…26 miles, 385 yards.
The author of Hebrews tells you to run with perseverance the course marked out for you. Your own unique course planned out in advance by God for you. It is wonderfully reassuring that we only have to run our course. We do not have to run someone else’s race, only our own.
Paul writes:
- For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
- Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind & straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).
As you run, don’t look around, and don’t look back. Look straight ahead so that you stay on the right course. Keep your FOCUS! After all, you will have enough to handle on your own course!