Heaven Is Counting on You

“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.  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.”  (Hebrews 12:1-2)

 

I have not yet been in a 10K marathon.  I ran a 5K once.  Orienteered through an adventure race once.  But never a 10K.  I tried relay track in Junior High.  Was slow.  Cross-country in High School.  Still slow.  Running is no rocket science, right?  It’s just one foot in front of the other with pace, one arm in front of the other with similar pace, right?  So, what is so hard about being a good runner?  It’s discipline!  Good runners have good timing because they are great at discipline.  They get up early to run.  They eat light but many meals a day and then run.  Before they sleep, they run.  They have a prize waiting for them at the finish line, the prize for a better personal time, and they persevere after it.  They run in faith for that prize.  “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).  A runner has faith when he or she is sure of getting that new improved  personal time and certain that he or she will get that new improved personal time even though they have no guarantee that they will get what they have worked for.  After all, the runner is still human, having tendencies to experience exhaustion during the race due to climate control issues and dehydration issues and frailty issues.  Yet, he or she is determined and disciplined to run the race to get THAT prize but with no guarantee.

 

I am going to take this same idea and run with it in this manner.  With determination and discipline, I throw off everything that hinders me and the sin that so easily entangles me, and run with perseverance the race marked out for me, fixing my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my 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.  Yet, I run the race with a guarantee.  Jesus stands at the finish line, cheering me on: 
“I am the Author and Finisher of your faith.  I ran this race already and now I am waiting here for you.  Run for me, your Hope of Glory.  Heaven is counting on you.”

 

 

Ray Boltz