How the gospel transforms my journey

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ( Hebrews 12:1-4)

 

I've only run in one official race (a wimpy 5k), since becoming an adult. When the race started, I was toward the front and began running along with all the others. What I didn't realize was that all the good runners go to the front and the rest of us need to be at the back. After getting to the halfway point, I realized that I was gassed and couldn't keep up the pace through the whole thing, so I had a bit of a breather and walked for a couple hundred yards before running again. Ran for a while, walked again, then began slowly running again. But then, rounding a corner, I saw the finish line. At that I felt a spurt of energy and finished off my race at a much faster pace than I had been running just seconds before.

 

This reminds me of the above words from Hebrews. The Scriptures and church history have given us a great group of runners who are setting an example of running the race at a strong pace. The motivating factor, however, is not the examples of those who are running in front and around us. It is found in fixing our eyes on the One who has crossed the finish line and set the ultimate example. Not only has he set the ultimate example, but he also is the prize. Our calling today is to fix our eyes on Him, throwing off all the distractions that the world will try to heap on and which we in our sinful short sightedness embrace. Our endurance (sanctification) is intricately linked with our comprehension of the gospel. The better we internalize and understand the gospel, the greater our endurance in this race. Unlike my 5k, this race is one of tremendous significance.