Throw it off...


“Therefore since we are surrounded by 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 that marked us for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher 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.” Hebrews 12:1-2

The writer is making a very good point here. In his last closing chapters in Hebrews, he challenges the readers to endure the hardships of life and think of Christ. Knowing that Christ suffered much for our sins the beckons the readers to put things in perspective of our lives. Nothing is more important then the life dedicated to Christ, and that He won the battle and now let us run like no other. To “fix our eyes” is an indication the he writer wants the readers to focus in upon the things of Christ. That is to focus in and hone in on what is important. To focus in upon the Lord and to run the race that is set before us.

For me when I read this it brought me back to outrigger canoe paddling. When I was training our coach often would but a tire on the front of the canoe to slow it down and force it to not be able to glide across the water. It is tough, it strained our muscles and it made us go slow. But when coach took off the tire, we were able to glide across the water. There was a noticeable difference. In my life I see it sometimes how my sins, like the tire in for the canoe, slows me down and tires me out. I wonder how much more I can do for God if I were to just chuck off the sin that is holding me down. I like how the writer says that you need to throw off your sin, and then begin a race of perseverance. I want to do that, throw off some of the sin that easily entangles me so I can run. However, it is a two step process. So once your leave your sin behind your race isn’t a sprint, but rather an enduring run. Much like a canoe paddling long distance race. You have to be to last hours and hours and it isn’t easy. In this case we must last till we get called home. Life often can get me caught up in things worthless things, or even the good things are not easy to do. I get tired, frustrated, and worn down. It is going to take the grace of God. I know this, like the writer says, if I focus in upon Jesus, the race will be a race of focus. You see the goal, you see the end. Lord knows what is behind the corner, and life is a race, but to focus in upon God is what is needed to endure.

Lord thank you for the reminder. I pray that you help me to focus in upon what is important and break free from the sin.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Living with the opportunity

Matthew 25:14-15 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability.” This passage has been such a difficult thing to figure out. It has been something that I have been dealing with and something that I have been longing to understand. Many people see that as that God gives you talents and you got to take your talents and live for God. But what are talents. It has been explained talent to be either your real talents, or money, or something God gives you. However, there is a distinction between talent and ability here. After reading this commentary ( http://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/matthew/living-dangerously) it seems that things make more sense here. Talent, the way we know talent, according to this passage is ability, and talent as referred to in this setting is opportunity. The property owne
Read more

When God ask you to do something crazy...

When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Dibaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. -Hosea 1:2-3 Now this is kind of a crazy assignment. It’s not like he says go and build a church, or go preach to the people, or fast for the nation. No, God told him to go take a WHORE for a wife. It doesn’t even sound Biblical. But that is what you see, God giving a very different task. Hosea’s first assignment, marry a whore. God asked Hosea to do something crazy. But what you see here is that Hosea, he DOES IT!. Without question, he just does it, he is very obedient to God. Though it’s sort of a strange situation, I am encouraged by Hosea’s obedience. Now, I don’t know about you, if one of the first big assignments God gives me is to go out and marry a whore, not sure how I would take that.
Read more

He Provides Our REAL Needs

  Acts 3:6-8 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. The beggar was asking for gold and silver, he was asking for things that he thought would satisfy him. But in reality it wasn’t what he really needed.  God knew that his real needs differed from what he was begging for.  In those times, if you were not capable of work, or able to walk, you were just cast away to the side. Daily he was put there by someone, to just beg all day long. He did this his whole life. This is how he was born, he was regulated to fend for himself by asking for money daily.  It made sense, money equaled ability to buy food and then you are able to eat. The beggar knew his place in society  because of
Read more