1 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 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter 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.
3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Several parts of this passage encourage me and challenge me.
First, the part about throwing off everything that hinders. Who wants to run a race with excess baggage? Sin will tie me down, hold me back, and keep me from doing my best. I have to get rid of any sin that tries to entangle me. I have to purge everything that keeps me from living a life fully dedicated to God. Yes, it will involve a few sacrifices. But you don't train for a race without sacrificing something. Since I've been running, I've sacrificed sleep, free time, thoughts, and money for the sake of the sport. Shouldn't I be willing to sacrifice a lot more to follow God?
I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that the Christian life is easy and comfortable. Seeing Christianity as a race makes that thought process impossible. I've NEVER been comfortable in a race. It's always hard, some days more than others. There are times I want to cry or throw up. There are times I want to fall down in desperation because I feel like I can't go on. There are times I feel so weary and slow that I don't know how I ever call myself a runner. But there are so many good moments too! When I run through quiet neighborhoods early in the morning, I feel God's peace. When I get a rush of adrenaline, I feel like I can conquer the world. When I want to give up but don't, I find an inner strength within myself that is so wonderfully encouraging, I want to shout about it from the rooftops. In those moments I find grace and joy and beauty and courage. Running is always an adventure.The next part goes along with getting rid of sin - fixing my eyes on Jesus. Ever heard that saying "eyes on the prize"? There is a prize far more glorious than anything I could get on earth. Jesus offers me the crown of life, which is far better than any medal I could ever win. As long as I'm focused on Him, I'm good. As soon as I let anything else become a distraction, I'm in trouble.
Lastly, I love the part about not growing weary or losing heart. I tend to grow weary a lot. Things that seem exciting and adventurous at first eventually lose their appeal. My life becomes monotonous and routine. I hate it when that happens. I think the key to not growing weary is to remember my motivation. I have to look to Jesus for strength, comfort, and courage. He knows and understands when I suffer; he suffered worse. But now he sits at the right hand of the throne of God, and he promises that those who suffer with him will also reign with him. When I grow weary, I need to remember the joy set before me.
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