The Race.

What do you think of when you hear "run the race"?
Do you think of wanting to cross the finish line first?  Do you think of the training it will take?  The preparing?  Wisdom you will need to make decisions in the midst of the race? How about the prize?

What if I said, "You ARE in a race, the race of this life!"  Are you training and preparing for the race of life?  Are you seeking the wisdom needed to participate in this race?  And the big question that may make you a little squeamish....Do you still want to cross the finish line first?  Or do you even want to be in this race?

The truth is every single person on this earth that draws breath is in this race. It's how we run this race that will make an important difference.   Are we in it to win it?  Is Jesus active in our race and is He going to be at the finish line? 
As a follower of Jesus, we desire, think about, dream, look forward to seeing Him.  But while we still have breath on earth....we are in a race and want it to be a good one.   It's about the who and the how.
We will all cross the finish line, all of us.  How are we going to run it?  And who are we running it with and for?

Hebrews 11 gives a long list of some good race runners that crossed the finish line.  Ones that we can look to as examples for our own race to finish well.  Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel....how about those we know personally?

Hebrews 12:1-2  Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us (all those in Hebrew 11 and add to those you know that finished the race and met Jesus face to face), let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is with me in this race and at the finish line...these two verses in Hebrews give me some insight into how to run this race.

- a great cloud of witnesses.  A witness is one who has information or knowledge of something, one who can give information, bring to light, or confirm something. "A great cloud" of witnesses is mentioned.  They may be spectators at the race but it seems to imply that they also testify, whether in word or deed, regarding the race themselves have run.  If I study the lives of those mentioned in Hebrews 11, I can glean some wisdom on running the race. 

- every encumbrance.  Encumbrance is only used once in scripture, it's described as a tumor, mass, magnitude, weight, burden, impediment.  What is slowing me down?  Lay it aside, I don't need to carry it with me, actually I don't need it all.  One that I seem to carry is my attitude of  and in the race. I struggle with doubt, failure, fear, worry, pride and jealousy. I need to toss it, it's only weighing me down. 

- sin.  Ok, laying this aside seems easier said than done.  But it says lay it aside.  I tend to carry some of my sin around like an accessory.  But why?  When it's been forgiven, why do I pick it back up and carry it?  I think I do for the same reasons as encumbrances.  I also continue to carry them because I feel better over my guilt, which is only a tactic of the enemy.  By continuing to carry it, I can treat it as a punishment I set up for myself.  It's just stupid, that punishment was paid at the cross for my freedom to live for the one who paid it.  I can get rid of some ugly accessories.
 
- fix our eyes on Jesus.  What am I thinking about in this race?  The way to fix my eyes on Jesus is focus on what I'm thinking about, watching, and doing? I am to take every thought captive to Jesus.  When running this race if my thoughts take me to a place other than Jesus, I need to re-focus.  Jesus is the author and perfecter of faith.  He wrote it, He works it out in me.  None of this is on my own to figure out and to win.  He writes our faith and moves it forward in being better, being bigger and finishing well.

- for the joy set before you.  I need to remember what the joy is. What is it about crossing the finish line well?   Eternal life with Jesus.  Revelation 21....He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.   And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."  And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."  Then He said to me, "It is done.  I am the Alpha and  the Omega, the beginning and the end.  I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.  He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son."  This is the joy set before me.

Hebrews goes on to say...For consider Him (Jesus) who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, SO THAT you will not grow weary.  (emphasis my own)
When Jesus ran the race, I need to consider what he endured for me, for my sake?  Thinking on this,  strength will be sustained.

Do you know your in a race?  Who's at your finish line?  Do you know you don't have to run this race on your own?

I'm in it to win it.  Whether my race finishes tomorrow or years from now.  Whenever it finishes...I do win only and all because of Jesus.

Just a chunk.