12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³ Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. ⁴ After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

Hebrews 12:1-4

Dear God, I have a long history with this passage. I was probably 16 or 17 the first time I heard verses 1 and 2 at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes National Conference in Estes Park. That would be almost 40 years ago now. I even remember the little song they wrote to go with it. Whenever I read these verses I think of that conference.

I was at a church service tonight where the pastor used these verses in his sermon. While he focused on verses 1 and 2, I couldn’t help but think about verses 3 and 4. Since all of them are good, I thought I’d just spend a little time with each of them this evening.

• Hebrews 12:1
  • The cloud of witnesses: In Hebrews 11:32, the author says, “³² How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.” Who else are my witnesses? Sometimes I consider my grandparents or in-laws to be part of my cloud of witnesses. Our unborn daughter, Sandra, we lost 30 years ago last month. I think about her sometimes when I’m struggling. I think about my grandparents too. Sure, it’s nice to think that the “greats” of the faith are looking down on me, but I prefer the intimate image of those I knew or wish I had known. I don’t even know how theologically correct it is for me to think about them in this way. Are they still dormant and awaiting your return, Jesus, or are they alive in the timelessness of who you are? Either way, I do think about them in this way, largely due to this verse.
  • Strip off the weight that slows us down, especially the sin: I was with someone yesterday who is completely weighed down by this sin that is slowing him down, and I’d love to think he’s ready to strip it off, but he’s not. But before I start thinking about his sin, shouldn’t I first think about myself? What is slowing me down? What is keeping me from being more? Am I really running the race with endurance, or am I jogging in the right direction, but stopping for a lot of water breaks?
• Hebrews 12:2
  • Jesus initiates and perfects my faith: It’s one thing for me to believe there is a God and to follow a set of his rules. It’s another thing to absorb what Jesus taught through the four gospels and how the other writers of the rest of the New Testament interpreted that for us in their writing. Jesus is the initiator of my faith. He’s why Gentiles like me are here worshipping you. He also taught me some amazing lessons–lessons I’m still figuring out.
  • The joy of sitting at the Father’s right hand: That was the joy awaiting Jesus. But I also think it was redeeming us. Redeeming us gave him joy. He was already at the right had of the Father. No, his journey in flesh was about us. That was the joy awaiting him through the pain and suffering he endured. Pain and suffering I can’t imagine and do not want to endure.
• Hebrews 12:3
  • The hostility Jesus endured encourages me: I’m in a culture that doesn’t punish me for my faith. Well, that might not be totally true. I had someone say something today that would be considered even more conservative than what my own faith and ideology causes me to believe. But at the end of the day, that’s not what makes me weary. Or maybe it is. I see so much fear and frustration from my fellow Christians. I wish I saw more love and less grabbing for power.
• Hebrews 12:4
  • I have not yet given my life in my struggle: The word “yet” is subtly placed in there. Am I ready to give everything up to and including my life? Am I ready to be ridiculed and scorned.

Father, I pray that you will help me to be willing to throw off the weight and sin that slows me down. And as I look for encouragement from my cloud of witnesses and even through considering how much worse others, especially Jesus, unjustly suffered, help me to not only be willing to suffer for you, but to also make sure it is you I am suffering for. I want it to be truly driven by you and not through my own mind. My mind is foolish. You are great. I am weak. You are wise. I am foolish. If I am going to die on a sword, let it be one that came at me because I was truly representing you and not something I was doing out of my own heart just to make a point.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen