I’ve never been mistaken for a runner. The only races I run are figurative. Like sprinters at the sound of the starter’s pistol, I often begin new tasks with a burst of energy and enthusiasm. I make incredible progress—until a hurdle appears. (still figurative here….me and real hurdles…not a good mix!)
Sometimes I want to quit because I’m tired. At times I want to stop because the task has become difficult. Other times I’m sidetracked by a distraction. Like the dog in the movie, “Up”, I’ve been known to totally lose focus at the sight of a “squirrel”.
I don’t run literal races, but I have watched them on TV. When those runners get tired, they don’t quit. When the course gets difficult the racers push through. They keep their focus on the finish line. They don’t get distracted by the noise of the crowd.
In Hebrews 12, the author encourages us to “run with perseverance” and to “fix our eyes on Jesus”. The writer then points to Jesus as the example of how to run life’s race. The Message says it this way:
Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. Thatwill shoot adrenaline into your souls! Hebrews 12:1-3
What race are you running today? Maybe the course you’re on involves great difficulty. Perhaps you’ve been running for a long time and you are tired. It might be that you are distracted from your race by “squirrels” or the noise of the crowd. Readjust your focus. Fix your eyes on Jesus. He’s cheering you on!