JULY 20, 2025 ~ FROM A PASTOR'S HEART

JULY 20 DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING: HEBREWS 12:1

The writer of Hebrews 12:1 likens our Christian life to a race. He says that in this race we are to, "…lay aside the sin which can so easily beset us and run with endurance the race that is set before us." When he describes our race it is clear that he is speaking of a marathon and not a sprint. For this is the race of our life that we must run, until the race is over. There are two things he instructs us to do concerning this race.

First is to, "…lay aside the sin which easily besets us." The Olympics are coming next month and there is one thing I can guarantee you will never see in any race...and that is the runner running in their warm-ups or their street clothes. No, they take those off and run in their very light track shorts and shirt, so light they are like running in nothing. Why? Because the lighter the clothes the faster, more proficient, they perform. We are told to lay aside sin, for it weighs us down, it keeps us from living the life that Christ has called us to live and it can keep us from finishing our race.

The second thing we are told is that we are to, "…run with endurance the race set before us." Once again, in the Olympics the race distance is set by the judges, the race is not over until the whole race is complete. In life it is the Lord who sets the course and the length of our life. It is over when He says so and until then we are called to run with endurance. Endurance tells us that it will not always be easy and there will be times we will want to give up...but He cheers us on to complete that which we started. As a matter of fact, He says what He has started in us, He is faithful to complete. All our races are not exactly the same, but all our races require the same from us...set aside sin that would weigh you down and run with endurance the race that is set before you!

Please share your thoughts.