Run the Race

I was not really an athlete during my childhood. I could barely make it once around the track (that was only a quarter of a mile). I was way too short for basketball and way too small for American football. The only "sport" I could compete in was bowling.

As an adult, I am still trying to convince my wife that golf is a sport. It doesn't really help my case when she sees golfers who are over-weight, smoking cigars, drinking beer, driving around in a cart and still beating me.

But even though I may not be a jock, I still enjoy watching a good sporting event, especially when the time comes for the Olympic games. There is something noble about watching people pour their hearts and souls into becoming the best in the world at some event. And there is inherent drama in every competition. Characters, conflict, tension, success and defeat.

The apostle Paul would probably have been stuck on ESPN. He uses sports analogies all the time throughout his letters.

The writer of Hebrews gives a full chapter of examples of faith from the Old Testament and then compares our own test of faith to a race. Those who have gone before us are now gathered in the arena seats and they are cheering us on.

Of course the real point is that the call of faith is like running in a race. It takes the kind of commitment that athletes must have to compete--plus a lot of sweat--to compete well. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to do three things in order to compete in the "Faith Games."

1.  Lay aside sin and and other entanglements.

2.  Run with "endurance", that is, push through the pain.

3.  Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Jesus is called the "author and perfector" of our faith. That is, he is the pioneer and supreme example who has gone before us and demonstrated a mature or complete faith. Therefore our eyes are to be focused on Him.

"Consider him..." That is, meditate on the example of Jesus as you run the race.

My paraphrase:
"With the knowledge that so many great examples of persevering faith have completed the race before us and are now seated in the arena to cheer us on, let us get rid of all the sinful patterns and distracting entanglements that might wrap around our legs and trip us up. Then, let us run this race in a way that bears up with determination under the pain and distress that surely comes up as we exert ourselves. Finally, let us stay focused on Jesus Himself, the supreme trailblazer and example of maturity in the faith. Meditate constantly on how He endured persecution and hostility--going all the way for us--so that you can also complete the race that has been laid out for you" (Heb. 12: 1-3 paraphrase).

Let's go for the gold!