Endurance

December 20th

Today's Bible Reading

Endurance

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

We all struggle in various ways to move forward in our faith. We strive, but are set back. We press forward, but we are pushed back. We find that we are ensnared so easily by sin. We are weighed down being unable to move ahead.  We are not alone. Others have struggled like we do. Their insight becomes our instruction. Their endurance our encouragement. They can help us. So we learn from them.

We are admonished in the text to take action by reflecting on those that have gone before us. The previous chapter outlines those who have struggled and succeeded (Heb. 11). We are to consider those who found deliverance in their difficulty. We are contemplate those who trusted and triumphed; not because of their fortitude but because of their faith. These are the cloud of witnesses that we are to look to for an example and encourage for the race set before us. We are to emulate them. It is in learning from the past that we can persevere in the future. We need to let their blunders and blessings be the barometer for our journey.  

In examining their life we are to discover how we, like them, can lay aside the restrains and sins that keep us from moving forward in our faith. It is easy to be trapped by something that “weighs” upon us so much so that it literally holds back our spiritual progress. Often we don’t even realize how such a deterrent can derail our faith. That is why we must be ever watchful for these “weighty” areas of our life that slowly and steadily impeded our sanctification. When we discover them we must take great pains to “lay aside” each and every one of these hindrance. This is the only way we can advance.

We are also encouraged here to run with endurance our race that is set before us. Don’t confuse this text into saying that all believers “run” in the same race. We all develop differently as disciples. No two Christians are the same and not two grow at the same rate. Each of our spiritual races are distinct. Therefore, the general guiding principles that we can learn from the saints of old will help us all to “run with endurance” our particular race. The idea here is not the peculiarities of our particular race, but the necessity to endure throughout our specific race. The stamina and strength to stay on course comes from the life lessons learned from saints of old who endured to the end. They stayed the course and they can teach us to stay our course too.

Finally in our text we are told to look to Jesus. He is “the founder and perfecter of our faith’. He is the one who initiated our faith and He is the one that increases it. As we looked to Him to save us, now we must continue to look to Him to sanctify us. His endurance through what He experienced should be our example of endurance. His attitude of joy in the midst of severe suffering should be our model in our life struggles. To make it, we must look to Jesus to help us on our spiritual journey.

Today look at the saints and look to the Savior. The saints will help us see how to handle the struggles we face and Jesus, our Savior, will walk with us in our struggles. Pray that they Lord will enable us and empower us to run our race with endurance and finish strong.