Therefore, since we are surrounded by such 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 marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12: 1-2 (NIV)
The writer of Hebrews compares the Christian life to running a race. If it was Paul, he also does the same in other letters. He says that he does ‘not run aimlessly’ (1 Corinthians 9:26) and that he had ‘fought the good fight’ and ‘finished the race’ (2 Timothy 4:7). It’s an appropriate analogy because there is a beginning and end to our faith journey, and it’s good for us to consider how we cover the distance in between.
In Hebrews 11, the writer remembers some of the Biblical characters like Joseph, Rahab and Gideon and many who are not named. They were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised (v39). With this in mind and surrounded by these heroes of the faith, we are encouraged to do some things as we run our own race.
Throw off any weights
It is harder to run a race if we are carrying weight and so we are to get rid of anything that heavy and slowing us down. The Greek word for weight is ogkos, and it implies something that’s bulging because of its load. It could be that we’re weighted down by worries or by bitterness in our hearts. It’s anything that slows down our race or distracts us away from the path God has marked out for us.
Picture yourself on your Christian journey. Are you bent over? Are you moving slowing because you’re carrying something you shouldn’t? Are you focused on your race or distracted? These verses prompt us to consider the things that are weighing us down and to lay them aside. We can give our burdens to the Lord. ‘Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders — he’ll carry your load he’ll help you out (Psalm 55:22 MSG).
…And parasitic sins
There are some sins that entangle us – they’re difficult to let go, we keep doing them again and again. Not only are we to lay down the heavy loads, but also any parasitic sins. The devil wants to keep us repeating the same sins and locked in a cycle of shame, but through Christ Jesus we have power over sin and it no longer needs to rule us. ‘When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So, you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus (Hebrews 6:10-11). There can still be a battle between our flesh and spirit to disentangle ourselves from some sins, and we may need help from other Christians to pray us through and hold us accountable. God wants us to be totally free from them, so they are not tripping us up as we run our spiritual race.
Run with perseverance
Running with perseverance (hupomone in Greek) is about keeping going in your race to the finish line, and to do this with hope. There may be times when we feel like giving up, but we are encouraged to endure. Perhaps we can think of the race like a marathon, rather than a sprint. There may be times when we are moving fast, and times when we are moving slowly. But let’s not give up.
Fix our eyes on Jesus
We will keep our focus on the finish line by fixing our eyes on Jesus. Not every now and then, but intentionally taking the time to look at Him. It’s about building a rhythm in our lives that has him at the centre. We can fix our eyes on Jesus through regular times of prayer, spending time in his word and worship, fellowshipping with other Christians. Build in the things in your life that will help you to remember Jesus and draw on his strength to run your race.
Jesus himself was looking ahead when he endured the cross, focused on ‘the joy set before him’ and now he is sitting at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus kept his eyes on what was ahead and fulfilled his purpose on earth. We can also finish our race well on earth if we keep our eyes fixed on Him.
Pause: Picture yourself on your journey of faith – are you free of weight or is there something weighing you down?
Reflect: What can you do to help yourself lay down the weight or disentangle yourself from a sin? Would talking with someone help? Have you been honest with God about the weight or sin?
Rise: Do the next thing that will help you lay down the load or sin? Keep it simple and don’t allow yourself to feel condemned. Remember, ‘there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8:1). You are beloved child of God and he wants to see you healed and free to run your race.