Hebrews 11:32–12:2
Be Still: Lord Jesus, sometimes I need to be reminded that you are real and powerful and present. Would you remind me again today? Amen
Read: Hebrews 11:32–12:2
Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (v2)
Encounter: I’ve never run a marathon (and I think it’s unlikely I will) but I can see the difference a cheering crowd would make for someone running one. Being championed, strongly supported in doing anything, lifts and re-energises us and enables us to keep going.
This glorious passage on faith comes to its conclusion with the memorable image about being surrounded by a ‘great cloud of witnesses’. Knowing we don’t do this life of faith alone is crucial. How wonderful to imagine those people in the Bible inspiring us, along with our church family, backing us in our faith, cheering us on every step.
It’s why it’s so important for us to get plugged in to a church family or community.
I also know that running a marathon dressed in layers of clothes, coats and scarves would make it far more difficult than it need be – tangling us up, tripping us over, slowing us down. This is the effect sin has on us. It’s why the Bible talks so often of repentance. Not to make life dull and unenjoyable but rather to make us free, disentangled, enabled to run joyfully with all our energy and strength.
Apply: What difference does it make to you when you are championed and cheered on? When you live in forgiveness, free from the tangle of sin? When, daily, you hold a vision of Jesus before you?
We don’t know what the race will look like for each of us in the coming months and years or what we will be called into. But we can take seriously the call to encourage one another as we keep going with the journey.
The reminder today is that it doesn’t rely on the size of our faith, but rather the size of our God. Who can you encourage with that today?
Devote: Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you again, readying you to continue the race before you today. Ask him to give you the name of someone to encourage with a message, an email, a call or a small act of kindness today.