Running the Race

Here is an article that was written by one of our students at Timberlake Baptist Church, Jesse Marilla. It concerns how we should run the race that God has marked out for us, according to the truths found in Hebrews 12:1-3. It is very thought-provoking and I am confident that it will encourage your heart. Thank you, Jesse, for sharing what God has been teaching you!

Pastor Stephen

Divest!

In Hebrew 12:1, the Bible says that we should lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets or ensnares us. The sin that we are commanded to divest or throw off is described as the sin that is specifically unique to us and to which we so easily fall. There are many sins that easily beset us, even though this may not affect others. There are some sins that have no trouble influencing us through any of our senses simply because of who we are. Here are few besetting sins:

• Jealousy- a soul that actually aches when another does well.

• Pessimism- a despairing negativism that perpetually sours everything.

• Lust - for others, for more things, for position

• Anger- inner hatred when things don't go your way

• Lying- a sin that taints your most intimate relationships with deceit.

Besetting sins are sins that attract and hold us with the promise of pleasure, including even some pleasures that bring no happiness or enjoyment, but only disappointment and more despair. The Scriptures command us to strip ourselves of everything that hinders us and easily beset us. The fact is you will never run the race God set before you if you do not put off those clinging sins.

Tell them to ask themselves these questions. What are your besetting sins? Will you name them before God? He knows them perfectly. Why not do that now?

Run!

Now that we have laid aside every weight it is time to talk about the race set before us. We have a specific race set before each of us. Its uniqueness is determined by God, who maps it out according to our giftedness, background, responsibilities, potential, and who we are in Christ. Your race is like no one else's. Some races are relatively straight; some are all turns. Some seem all uphill; some are a flat hiking path. All races are long, but some are longer. But the thing is, everyone can finish their race. I may not be able to run your course, and you may find mine impossible, but I can finish mine and you yours. We can all finish well if we rely on God who is our strength and our guide. We can experience the same exhilaration as the Apostle Paul did in Timothy 4:7: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race; I have kept the faith." Depending upon God, there is no doubt that we can finish our race. Whoever and wherever you are, you can do it!

Focus!

Now that we have begun running the race, we must focus towards finishing. That focus of course is Jesus Christ. In Hebrew 12:2, it says that we should fix you eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. We must lift our eyes from other distracting things and focus with utter concentration on Him and continuing to do so. We must not look away even for an instant. When Jesus lived on the earth, every obstacle was thrown in his way, but he never stumbled even once. He became the "Author and Finisher of our faith" just by the way He lived. There was never a millisecond that He did not trust the Father, resting everything in Him. If we look away from Christ- the end and goal of our race - we will not finish well.

Consider!

When you're persevering during the race, there is always the possibility of spiritual collapse, just like a runner in a marathon. The best way to avoid collapse is to consider Christ and the opposition He faced such as Herod, Pilate, and Caiaphas. Consider how He faced them with confidence, meekness, and strength. Whether we are athletes or not, we have a race to run in this hostile world.

We are to run like Jesus did, completely divested of anything that is hindering us. We are to run with Him. We are to run toward Him. We are to fix our eyes on Him. We are to focus on His focus. He is to be our perpetual consideration. He has a race for us to run and we can do it if we lean on Him.