Day 42 - April 7

Dr. Artie L. Polk

Marathon ~ Hebrews 12:1-3

            Life is a marathon that is set before us.  It is not a sprint.  Running a marathon requires endurance. It requires perseverance.

            The writer of Hebrews encourages us by reminding us that the community triumphant, those named and unnamed in Chapter 11, who have transitioned to “a great cloud of witnesses” in the very presence of God, is cheering on the community militant, those of us who yet remain in the race. We are not in this race alone!  The writer also reminds us that although Jesus has finished His race on this side of Zion, He continues to run the race with us to encourage us, to give us focus, and to remind us of the model of endurance that He left that landed Him on the seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

            As we run the race, we are to look only to Jesus, the focus of our attention.  If we look away from Jesus, we will stumble.  When we have finished the course, we will land in one of the many mansions prepared for us in the very presence of God.  This is the joy that is set before us. Let us “…not grow weary or lose heart.”