RUN THE RACE
Opening Prayer
Thank you, Jesus—your love is unconditional and without limit. Please continue to show me how to reflect that love in the lives and world around me.
Read HEBREWS 12:1–13
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
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. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God Disciplines His Children
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a]
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 12:6 Prov. 3:11,12 (see Septuagint)
- Hebrews 12:13 Prov. 4:26
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Talk to any competitive athlete, and they’ll say that encouragement of the crowd is a major part of keeping going—and winning. The 2012 Olympics in London were a terrific example of that. Who encourages you in faith?This passage begins and ends with athletic imagery. Like those we’ve been reading about in the last chapter, who finished their races and are now cheering us on, we, too, need to run and finish our own race (vv. 1, 2). Everything that impedes our feet should be discarded, and we need to be strong to keep going.
How? By training. The discipline we read of in verses 7 to 11 is to help us be fit for the race. Training for anything requires dedication and time, and, very often, pain and effort. We might not like it, but it’ll get us where God calls us to be. It’ll also help us develop into being those whose lives are right with God and at peace with him (v. 11)—and that benefits both us and others.
Why? Because of Jesus. He’s there at the center of everything. He’s our example of how to run the race to the end and how to endure so that God’s purposes are accomplished. And not only is he with us by his Spirit as we run—encouraging and helping us when our spiritual feet are weary—he is there waiting to greet us when our race is done.
Apply
How’s your godly training going? How’s your race progressing?
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, in all that you call me to do, I look to you to help me persevere. As you encourage me through Scripture and your presence with me, use me as an encouragement to others.
Book and Author Intros
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