Running the Race

…we have all these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. 

So, we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. 

Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, 

for the path has been already marked out before us. 

Hebrews 12:1 The Passion Translation

I appreciate how the author of Hebrews uses imagery of the ancient Olympic races as a metaphor for the spiritual life. He reminds his audience that athletes in the Games become greatly animated, because influential and powerful citizens of the country are intensely watching the competition. This induces the contestants to make extraordinary efforts to display their determination, their prowess, and their ability to win against all odds. They focus on the goal so they won’t stumble or get waylaid due to distraction.

Describing life’s race as a marathon offers a great picture of the endurance we need for the long haul. It reminds us that we can lose our passion and determination for forward momentum if we succumb either to weakness or to pain. 

Furthermore, as we press on in this race, it’s amazing to realize that we are surrounded by a countless number of “witnesses”; the followers of Jesus from all of history, who have run life’s race before us. I like to think of them as our cheering section, because they want us to reach the finish line…just as they did. 

To help us see the reality of these great witnesses around us, Chapter 11 of Hebrews offers a list of some our inspiring ancestors in the faith. It occurs to me, though, that we can look at the crowd in the stands from a more personal perspective. 

Just this week, as I was ruminating on the reality of God’s great “cloud of witnesses”, I opened a Bible that used to belong to one of those witnesses. Gordon Thompson was a dear friend of ours, and he was a dear friend of God’s. Reading Gordon’s name on the flyleaf of his old Bible reminds me that the great cloud of witnesses is more than a list in a biblical text; this group consists of people I knew. People who touched my life in a personal way. As I think of Gordon’s life and faith, his example encourages me to persevere in my own race of faith. To persevere in the name of Jesus. I’m reminded that Gordon successfully ran the race that I now run, and I believe that he is cheering me on.

Because of people like Gordon…and my parents…and so many others…I can make the extra effort to run my race well. Because of the people God has placed in your life, you also can make the extra effort to run your race well. And this passage from Hebrews points the way: we avoid the entanglement of sin; we overcome the aches and pains and wounds that might cripple us. Instead of giving up, or giving out, we maintain our steady pace toward the goal of God’s gift of eternal life and kingdom inheritance. We commit ourselves to reach the tape, whatever the odds. 

So what are the wounds that sometimes pierce us? I can think of a few: loss (loved ones, jobs, opportunities, prized possessions), pain (physical, emotional, spiritual), and injustice (legal or moral wrongs done to us or others). Whatever they might be, such wounds become like arrow tips imbedded in our souls. They drag us down, they fill us with regret or grief, and at times they cause us to lose hope or even lose our way.

And what are the sins we so easily fall into? Again, I can think of a few: worry, anger, addictions of all kinds. We seem particularly prone to sins that are promoted by our culture, which means we can adopt them without thinking because “everybody does them”. Turning politics into a god, embracing a materialistic lifestyle, giving little thought to sexual morality…. Whatever they might be, we must be alert for the sins that are ready and waiting for us, because they will trap our souls. 

Wounds and sins can hamstring us in the race, which is why we cannot focus on these things. We must focus instead on Jesus, because he will help us run the race with passion and determination. Best of all, he will help us stay on track, because he’s laid out the path for us. He’s waiting at the tape for us to cross the finish line.

Are you experiencing a haunting wound or a nagging sin? Never forget that God invites you and me to let go of these things. To press on and not let such things drag us down. This advice is not just a cheery platitude, because countless witnesses have done exactly what the author of Hebrews urges us to do. Our spiritual ancestors ran the race marked out by our creator, and we can too.

What witnesses has God placed in your life that can encourage you to keep running the race with passion until you break the tape? Follow their example; they are rooting for you!

Let me pray for you as you begin your day: Dear Lord, Thank you for these words from Hebrews. They remind us that you call us to keep our eyes on Jesus; running life’s journey as if an arena full of Jesus-followers is cheering us on. We so easily can nurse our wounds and fall for the sin that so attractively calls to us. You are gracious in reminding us that there is another path – releasing the wounds, forgoing the sin, and claiming the prize as we run the race you have laid before us. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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