Today’s Reading:
Hebrews 12: 1- 13
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith …” (v. 2a)
The writer of Hebrews in today’s passage opened up the passage by telling us about the cloud of witnesses that we have all around us. These are men of faith that have walked through this earth and have had mixed experiences; they succeeded and failed equally. The stories of their lives weren’t all that perfect but God’s grace came through for them. They are more like spectators cheering us up not to give up and at the same time examples showing us not to fail where they have failed. They would have been the perfect example to ease our journey but the dent in their ways wouldn’t suffice.
Thus, the writer of Hebrews presented the One who instituted our faith as the only person worth looking unto. Jesus is the Father’s image who shows us how generously God has endowed us with the ability to live right in this world and to end well. The Christian faith can be tough sometimes if not most times and filled with daunting moments. At such a time, we are often tempted to think what is happening to us is peculiar, but Jesus went ahead of us to show that we are able to finish well in this journey.
In this race, however, like an athlete, we must shed weights that will not less we move at God’s speed and have our gaze fixed on Christ. Verse 1b says, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sins that easily entangles us…” Looking unto Jesus cannot go hand-in-hand with rolling with sins. Every weight and sin must be dropped at the cross so as to be rightly positioned to follow Him.
Then, we are admonished to “run with perseverance, the race that is set before us…” When Jesus was confronted with the cross, it was not an easy experience for Him. But above his personal desires, he submitted to the will of the Father. He persevered until he finished the race and is now at the right hand of the Father where everything is put under him. God gave Him a name that is above every other name. Revelation 3: 21, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
IKOTUN NEWBREED ADEBISI
PRAYER
I receive grace to fix my gaze on Jesus Christ as the Author and Finisher of my faith, in Jesus name.
My mind I renewed to lay aside every weight and sin that will hinder me from following hard after God, in Jesus name.
In the face of life challenges, I receive grace and strength to persevere to the end, in Jesus name.
Father of all grace, in this race, I will finish well and strong, in Jesus’ name
I am an overcomer in Jesus’ name!
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