Hebrews 12:1-6: a reflection

1Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls. 4You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin. 5You have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him; 6for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

The writer of Hebrews, having recounted the great examples of faith, now turns to us with a stirring call. Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, he says, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily entangles, and run with perseverance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross. The Christian life is a race to be run with perseverance, and the secret of running it is where we fix our eyes: on Jesus.

Notice the three parts of this call. First, lay aside every weight and entangling sin, the things that slow us down and trip us up. Second, run with perseverance, not sprinting and quitting, but enduring over the long course. And third, and above all, look to Jesus, fixing our eyes on him, the one who ran his own race to the end, enduring the cross for the joy set before him. The key to running our race is not looking at ourselves, or at our troubles, or at the distance, but at Christ.

That gives us both encouragement and direction for the Christian life. It is a race, requiring perseverance over the long haul, not a quick sprint; and it is run best not by straining to look at ourselves or our circumstances, but by fixing our eyes on Jesus, who has run the race before us and endured to the end. When you grow weary in the Christian life, lay aside the weights and entangling sins that slow you, and fix your eyes afresh on Jesus. Do not look at your own strength, or your troubles, or how far you have to go; look to Christ, who endured the cross for the joy before him, and now sits at God's right hand. Run your race with perseverance, looking to Jesus, and you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Lord, the writer of Hebrews calls me, surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles, and to run with perseverance the race set before me, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross. Give me both the encouragement and the direction in this. The Christian life is a race, requiring perseverance over the long haul, not a quick sprint; and it is run best not by looking at myself or my circumstances, but by fixing my eyes on Jesus, who ran his race before me and endured to the end. When I grow weary, help me lay aside the weights and entangling sins that slow me, and fix my eyes afresh on Jesus. Keep me from looking at my own strength, or my troubles, or how far I have to go; help me look to Christ, who endured the cross for the joy before him. Help me run my race with perseverance, looking to Jesus, that I may not grow weary and lose heart.