Today’s Encouragement is Hebrews 12:1-2a “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. [2] We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”
Strip off every weight –
We all want to run with endurance the race God has set before us! It is the sincere desire of every believer as we recognize that God’s way, His plan, His race, is where we need to be, to focus our lives, time, and attention.
So, we prepare for His “race”, the challenge which God places before each of His beloved children. Interesting that we each are challenged by the “race God has set before us’. Each of us has our own ‘race’ to run!
Let’s focus on stripping off every weight. This doesn’t refer to sin because that clearly follows, but what else could hinder us in the race we are given?
Is it possible that this ‘weight’ includes all the ‘good’ things we get involved with, which have the result of slowing us down in the Race which God has set before us? Some possibilities include work, exercise, watching TV, social media, even church busyness, sports, there’s no limit to places we can spend time… which “slows us down” in the race God has set before us.
Recognize a few key points: all have a race, running this race is not an option, sin trips us, ‘weight’ slows us down, and we can run with endurance God’s race, when we throw off the weight and the sin that works against us.
Father, open our eyes to the weight as well as the sin which keeps us from running well the race You have set before us. We need Your help, always, as we keep our eyes on Jesus, the champion.
Runner
Twila Paris
Today’s Encouragement 