Keep Running
A race with an eternal purpose.....
All of us at some point in our lives have run in a race...Whether in streets as a kid or on the track for a medal. Running has always been a part of many of our lives. I have found that people run for the following reasons:
1. Exercise (Enjoyment): Because there is an expected benefit a result.
2. Fear: Uncontrollable, not always aware of your surroundings.
What I have learned as a former athletic is that many people hated to run whose sport requires them to run. I played with athletics that loved to lift weights but despised running. These were not linemen but running backs and receivers. The problem with their behavior is it is short sided....they hate running so badly that they forget the field is 100 yards and not 10. Which meant they were only good for few plays verses the person who endured the heat, rain, and pain of running who could last for the entire game.
They got this way because they resting on mainly their talent hoping they would be able to last. So, instead of running the full 3 minutes during 4 am stations they would walk for two....I would past them sing a Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell hit "Ain't nothing like the real thing." They called me crazy and they would avoid being in the same group with me but I believed in taking every opportunity to be prepared.
I wasn't biggest or fastest but I worked hard at using my time wisely. I hated the pain of the first mile in a three mile run. I hate the fact that I had to do pushups and sit ups because I could not afford a members at the local gym.
I used what had to execute what I could....I read how Walter Payton ran hills and Herschel Walker did pushups. So, found a hill and did pushups. Yet everyone had some type of excuse as to why they could not complete the workout.
This is really what the Apostle Paul is dealing with....
1. People who should be teaching but have need to be taught again.
2. People who have forgotten that they have a great list of people who have lived by faith as a witness to them.
3. People who refuse to look at the greatness of their history and rejoice in the fact they have been tremendously blessed.
But we still have people who struggle with the race....So; the writer of Hebrews is moved by God to help us.
v1. There are witnesses that have run this race of Holiness before that have been successful.....witnesses...But people are judgmental and unforgiving
Because of these three the writer wants the people to understand that within their life they have:
1. Preparatory responsibility (Lay aside every weight and the sin)
2. Perfective responsibility: Run the race with Patience
a. Race of service and suffering
b. The race that we run is already set for us (the good, bad, valleys, mountains, are ordained by God)
b. There must be patience and perseverance (we will need these characteristics because you will encounter difficulties that lie in our way, we will need to resist temptation, and faith must be cultivated.)
v2. When there is no one else to look to, when you have pick through everyone's life and found an issue, after you have monde and complained, cried and become frustrated, and disappointed....
a. Look unto Jesus (A greater example for all of us)
1. Author: the predecessors, pioneer, the leader of this type of race. Not a sprinter, miler, or marathoner....he is a journey running.
2. Finisher: fulfilling the all of the scripture-promises...he prefects our faith in him as experience trails and tests. Then he rewards our faith as we reach the expectations that he has set for us individually and collectively.
He is not interested in how fast we run....Just keep running.....
v3. People are going to and will talk about you.....keep running....
Hurt your feeling......
Disappointment......
Accusations......
Sickness.....
Persecution......
Luke warm people.....
Death..... Economics…. Fear …..