Hebrews 12:1-2
12 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.
For years, I thought running the race was to ask God to help me at my job, raise my family, earn a good living, be a better husband, father, friend, employee, to be kinder, more patient etc. I was running the world’s race and sprinkling a little of God on top.
There was nothing wrong with the things I was seeking, and it was definitely good that I was seeking God’s help. I then heard a sermon from my pastor that caused me to go back and read the scripture again. The sermon talked about the fact that race isn’t about things or achievements or becoming righteous. The race is about seeking God. The race to reading the bible, the race to being still before God long enough to hear Him, to be in prayer and to be talking with God throughout the day, to trusting Him, believing Him, and to be obedient to Him when He calls.
This race is God’s race and sprinkling a little of the world on top!
God knows all that we need and promises that if we seek Him first He will take care of the rest. But He also knows, as does Satan, that the battle is for our hearts, and our hearts can only be filled with God when we put Him first.
Don’t believe me? Okay. Try stopping right now and go to a quiet place and spend five minutes seeking God. But write down all the reasons that you came up with why that wasn’t possible. That is where the center of the battle resides.
So, like a runner, we have to dig deeper and shed off those temptations and look to Jesus for the strength to continue on. The temptations can be as subtle as being too busy. In fact, for Christians, this is where Satan mostly derails us. If you trace back any larger temptation that captured your heart, you will always find it started with a small drift away from prayer or church or reading the bible or attending a small group. As the gap of time between these events widened, the space for other temptations to enter grew.
So run the race this day, run to your quiet time with God, run to your prayer time, run to slow down to hear Gods soft voice.
May we cheer each other on to run to God today.
Just a Thought…
