Do you realize we are in a race? A race for our very life! Paul tells us in Hebrews 12 that we need to run that race set before us with patience! To me that means not giving in. Not whining. Not getting distracted. When in my humanness I do slip, miss a hurdle, or trip, God in His Mercy and Grace reaches down, sets me on my feet again, brushes away the tears of pain and frustration, and encourages me to run, Baby, run!
In Hebrews 12:1 Paul reminds us that we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses whose lives were great examples for us as we go through trials in our life. We have been surrounded in time by the great people of God whose lives God ensured were recorded for our example and encouragement. This first verse of Hebrews 12 refers to the list Paul has just given us of a few of the great people of God who lived before us and how they came through the trials of their lives. Sometimes they slipped as in the case of Sara who first laughed at the thought of a woman so old as she giving birth. And Abraham who became fearful of the king of Gerar, a city in Philistine, so he made known that Sara was his sister, implying she was not also his wife. They always got back on track, living in faith. The bigger picture here is that they all died in faith, (Hebrews 11:13), not having received the promises that God made to them, but believing that in God's time these promises would be fulfilled. And they were!
These patriarchs had lived the faithfulness of God and knew that there is no doubt when it comes to the one true Living God fulfilling His promises! Because of this proof for us to see, we can lay aside every burden and every sin which so easily plagues and torments us. So, my friend, take a look at your life. Really look at it. What are the things that drag you down? What keeps you from walking closely with God? Just pretend you are on a lifeboat that is taking on water because it is too heavy. Identify and pitch over the things that are not going to help you survive. Things that while they may have some importance to you, are not important to your survival to reaching shore; to your running the race. Follow Paul's instructions to pitch them over!
Then go the way God has set before you in His Word. Be patient to keep on keeping on. I once asked my Grandma who homesteaded with her husband and 12 kids, how in the world she did it! The work load must have been immense with their very survival depending on them keeping on. She told me that she had to just focus on putting one foot in front of the other. God has laid out a path for us, focus on keeping your feet one in front of the other on that path! When you feel your faith slipping, call out to your Father to help your faith! He will, He is Faithful!
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