The Marathon of Faith After the thorough listing of faith role models in Hebrews 11, the author then encourages us to follow their example in Hebrews 12: “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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3). The Christian faith is not a sprint, but a marathon. Many Christians try to run the Christian race as if it were a sprinting contest. They rush from one Bible study to another, attend meeting after meeting, and join every committee they can; however, no one can keep up that pace for very long, and eventually they tire and give up in exhaustion. Instead of working for Christ, they become burned out and ineffective. Then after a sufficient rest, they are back to their frenzy of service and studies and meetings. They spend their entire lives in this sprinting pattern with periods of intense work and periods of burnout. If we run the Christian race as a marathon instead of a speed race, we will set a steady pace that we can maintain until the race is finished. Our race should not be about the speed we run, but about the consistency of our running. We will still occasionally stumble or slow our journey, but we should always remain focused on moving steadily forward. Prayer: Father, help me to remember that I am running a marathon, not a sprint. Help me to be consistent in my faith, staying focused and moving steadily forward. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). Bishop Amos Elliott
Posted on: Sat, 31 May 2014 20:32:12 +0000
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