One of my sons is becoming a fast long-distance runner. He trains frequently with a high level of diligence. We have instilled in him a commitment to always try his best. This, coupled with an incredibly high level of determination, and natural ability has enabled him to successfully qualify for district and invitational competitions. To his great delight I can’t catch him.
Long distance running is hard on your body and your mental toughness. It requires training and discipline. After many years of watching these races, I have noticed that those who are determined but haven’t trained, sprint their little hearts out for the first 250 metres and then fade away to the background. Those who have trained but don’t have grit will run hard but get pipped at the post. And those who don’t really care about running enjoy a morning out lightly jogging in the sun.
The Bible speaks about competing in races to help us understand the need to overcome obstacles and stay focused. For example:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:1–2)
The Encouragement of Spectators
It is a real thrill watching my son compete. He enjoys running and I enjoy loudly cheering him on. Afterwards, there is much to discuss. “Did you see me when I took that corner Mum?” “That guy came out of nowhere trying to overtake me, I wasn’t expecting that”. Kids love us being a witness to their sporting achievements. This is one important way that we celebrate their successes and support them in their troubles.
Hebrews describes all those who have lived by faith before (Heb 11) are like “a great cloud of witnesses”—spectators to our Christian lives, that are described as “the race marked out for us” (12:1). It is not clear how literally we are to take this image. It could be simply that the example of their lives serve as an encouragement to us, just as spectators do. But we absolutely do know that our heavenly Father is watching us. We don’t need to remind him or check that he is paying attention. He will always be there, witnessing our triumphs and failures and everything in between.
The Need for Perseverance
God in his wisdom knows that the Christian life is like a marathon not a sprint, so he instructs us to run with perseverance. We need self-discipline and we need to focus on the eternal prize that awaits us at the end.
It is very easy to have the wrong focus. As I run this marathon of life there are so many things that can hinder me: my own pride or stubbornness or being distracted by things that draw me away from God. God urges us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (verse 1). He urges us to fix our eyes on Jesus: he shows us the way to run the race that he has for us.
Run the Race Marked Out for Us
Yes, we are all running the one race—but the specifics of our lives vary significantly. Sometimes we can be too focused on the races of others, so to speak, rather than on our own. Maybe their race seems less complex or seems to require less endurance. We might think that seems unfair and then veer into the lanes of others. Sometimes this might look like coveting someone else’s fancy car or high-profile job or unified family or cushy study program. Ultimately this will just slow us down and could cause us or others to falter.
Go the Distance
As Hebrews 12 encourages us, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us “run with perseverance” and go the distance. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus. At times in the race, we will feel the strength to almost fly, other times it will be at a run and there will be times when we walk or possibly even crawl. Maybe we have a metaphorical stitch that is slowing us down. The important part is keep connecting to God and training our spiritual muscles to understand his will for our lives to the very end.
Sometimes when I watch my son run, it seems like he is flying. He has done all the hard preparation, had the right nutrients, understood the course, is very focused on the task and prayed that God would enable him to do his best. He is chasing down that finish line to burst over it. In our Christian life, it is God’s strength that enables us to run the race to the very end so that we can burst over it too.
