May 2nd, 2013
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Sharing His Holiness

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Opening Prayer

Spirit of God, often You choose to come to me in quiet and unobtrusive ways. I wait in anticipation.

Read Hebrews 12:1-13

[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] 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. [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.” [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,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

The Christian life is portrayed here as a race. However, it is a long-distance race, not a sprint! Are you keeping those legs moving?

Think Further

Life often feels like a race–for many it is a rat race in a Darwinian jungle where only the fittest survive. The race that the Bible depicts, however, is different. It is run in the presence of God and a cloud of witnesses (faithful believers from the past, as described in ch. 11). When stretched to the limit, we can almost hear the silent roar of support from the witnesses. But our eyes must not be on them; our eyes must be focused on Jesus (2). Why so?

Jesus is the model for the race. He is our Savior, example and motivator. As we run the spiritual race, the contest can be fierce because it is with sin that we struggle. We are asked to resist sin “to the point of shedding your blood” (4). The Christian life is not a holiday; it is sometimes a painful battle and struggle. The believer might be tempted to give up, but when he sees Jesus who was obedient even unto death on the cross (Phil. 2:8), he takes courage and learns to persevere. He will see the pain and struggle as part of the discipline imposed by the heavenly Father (Prov. 3:11,12; Jer. 31:18).

The Father’s discipline is “for our good that we may share in his holiness” (10). There is method and meaning in God’s discipline. It may not feel nice at the moment, but it is working for our own perfection. In the end, we will benefit and reap “a harvest of righteousness and peace” (11). Running requires training, and God is like a coach who pushes us to run beyond our own strength, filling us with his Spirit’s strength, and placing before our eyes his own Son who demonstrates the discipline of godliness and runs before us. What a race!–with the triune God involved in it.

Apply

Keep your eyes on Jesus and run the race well without giving up. Is the Lord disciplining you at this time? What good do you see coming from it?

Closing prayer

Spirit of God, through all the ups and downs of my life, continue to form holiness in me. I want to be like Jesus and to commend him well to others.

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