Aloha Dearest Family,
When
I was in high school I was on the track team. My main events were long jump,
triple jump and the sprints. I competed in the 100, 50 and 220 yards dashes as
well as the relays.
One day during practice the coach wanted to
increase my endurance so he had me practice with the long distance runners. The
exercise we were doing was to sprint 220 yards then walk 220 yards, over and
over again. The other runners told me to run the sprints at a slower pace so
that I could save my energy, but of course I knew better. I ran these sprints
like I did all of my sprints — running full out. Well, after about 4 or 5 of
these 220 yards sprints, I was spent. My energy was gone and I had to
eventually drop out. Maybe these long distance runners knew a little bit more
about endurance than I did.
This
story reminded me of a of verse of scripture from Hebrews 12,
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses (referring to the great believers in chapter 11), let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us," (Hebrews 12:1)
The
Greek word for "patience" in this verse is better translated
"endurance". The Christian life is a race that we all run and this
race takes endurance to finish well.
All
runners need to learn endurance to succeed. A Marathon
runner, for example, knows the sacrifice and hard work that it takes to win
races. Marathon runners train and 'bring their bodies under subjection' to a
strict regimen of proper diet and running day in and day out, rain or shine,
month after month. This is what is required to win races and compete against
other runners. If you ask any Olympian, they would tell you about the years of
rigorous training and dedication it takes to compete at the Olympic level; just
to be able to stand on a platform and receive a medal. In the ancient days of
the Olympic Games the winners of the race would stand before the reward stand
(the bema) and receive a wreath upon their head, signifying that they were
champion. In the Christian walk (or endurance race) we don't compete for a
physical crown, but for an incorruptible one.
"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that strive for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible." (I Corinthians 9:24 and 25)
We are not competing for
a corruptible crown, but for crowns and rewards we will receive at the end of
our race. Therefore we can't allow anything to get in the way of our
"training." We can't let people or things distract us from our goal.
The Apostle Paul had to encourage the believers in Galatia to keep running
because they were hindered by what some in the church were teaching, "Ye did run well; who did hinder you
that ye should not obey the truth?" (Galatians 5:7) We run well when
we obey the truth of God's Word.
If
we look at the next verse from Hebrews 12, we will see how Jesus endured his
torture and death on the cross.
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)
It says that for the joy that was set before him, he was able to endure the cross.
The horrors of the torture and death on the cross was unthinkable. God could
not relieve Jesus of this responsibility, but He could give him a glimpse of
the joy that would be his if he stuck it out and endured it. The Word says that
there is fullness of joy in God's presence and pleasures forevermore at God's
right hand (Psalm 16:11). This is what was at the finish line. And this is also
our example of how to run our race with endurance. By looking at what is
waiting for us in our future.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept (guarded) by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations." (I Peter 1:3-6)
The
believers in the first century were experiencing great persecution and
distress. Peter and others were encouraging them to keep running and keep
looking for what awaits them in the future when Christ returns.
Paul,
at the end of his life, wrote of this in his letter to Timothy,
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."(II Timothy 4:6-8)
He had finished his course. His race of
endurance was at an end and he knew he had run well. He was now looking forward
to receiving his crown. And we will also receive this crown and others if we
don't stop doing God's Will and trying our best to walk like Jesus Christ and
Paul. By loving people, giving to those in need, telling others about Christ and
giving God the glory in whatever we do. At the end of our lives, will we be
able to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I
have kept the faith?" I want to. So run faithfully the race of endurance.
And run that you may obtain.
Love Always, Ray
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