Running- and Finishing- the Race

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of G-d.

-Hebrews 12:1 &2

 A mentor of mine loves car-racing, etcetera, and one of his favorite things is the saying, "Gentlemen... start your engines!" All the time, he finds paralells of prayer, the Word, Jesus, the church in cars.

*ahem*

That's another post.

Hebrews chapters 11 and 12 are one of my favorite chapters in that book of the Bible. All of the apostle's encouragement in keeping the faith, Christ's strong example, the unshaken kingdom of G-d. Okay, so Hebrews is probably one of my favorite books of the Bible=P  Just now though I'd like to focus on chapters 11-12. In chapter 11, we are encouraged by the outcome of Biblical triumps of faith in G-d. "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Consider the heroes of the faith, the witnesses; what paralell do you see in all of them? I see that they trusted. They got in the race, stayed in the race, and finished well. Noah, Moses, David and Samuel, Abraham and Sarah... faith means we cannot see the outcome.

According to Wikipedia, "Faith is the confident belief or trust in the truth or trustworthiness of a person, concept or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true, belief in and assent to the truth of what is declared by another, based on his or her supposed authority and truthfulness."
Now, Wikipedia is referring to a person. G-d is G-d! Oh! if only my heart would forever naturally put its trust in Him! And He is so faithful to me all the time!

I wonder sometime if the message, if the cry of my heart to unreached souls will ever be heard.. how I want to be used by the L-rd! TRUST! This comes with being still.

I've (well, the TBC group) has been reading Francis Chan's Forgotten G-d. One of my favorite points is his telling us to throw off the extra baggage. As we run G-d's race- throw it off, let Him remove all of it for you (hope you get the drift=D). As we run G-d's race, we need to run with focus and purpose, fixing our eyes on Jesus. He's the author and finisher of our faith, and the One who will change us and give us an eternal perspective, instead of our earthly one. As we run G-d's race, we need to encourage oen another. Our "power" source is Jesus, and other people of faith help us to spur that on, that's what the body of Christ is designed to do, to bring glory to G-d. Imagine running a race without taking time to warm up beforehand? Your muscles would be tense, and not as functional. Without taking the time to let G-d  fill us up with the Holy Spirit, we are disfuncional- useless.

Endurance is the drive to suceed no matter what the cost. And when I finish this race here on earth, I want to obtain the prize; I want to have kept the faith; I want to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

 "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 3:14