"Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Heb.12:1).
What a magnificent verse! It's one of those jewels in God's Word that sparkles and shines in ever-varying and stunning ways as you return to gaze at it time and again.
Just one little aspect that struck me afresh today: all that "weight and sin" that we need to "lay aside." Yeah, yeah, we think. We all know our sin is hateful and harmful. We know we need to get rid of it, but even so, it's so easy to think of it in abstract and general ways, don't you think? My "sins" versus my specific tendency to commit the sin of worrying...or complaining...or envying...or gossiping.
What if we begin getting down to brass tacks by asking ourselves--what is all that "weight" and what does it mean to lay it aside...not just in general, but in particular--for me?
I remember eons and eons ago--before cell phones, personal computers, frozen yogurt, spandex, and the world as we know it today--I ran some races during the winter season for our track team in college. Now tennis was my main sport, but the track team was obviously in desperate need of some warm bodies, so they asked me to join the track team during the tennis off-season.
This was all very fine and good...until right before my first track meet when the track coach handed me the team uniform...which consisted of--as far as I could tell--a teeny, tiny tank top and a pair of orange and black (our school colors) underwear. That's sure what they looked like to me.
Now my momma had raised me right, and there was no cotton picking way I was gonna go out and run in front of a bunch of other folks wearing that ridiculously skimpy get-up. How about a tee shirt and a pair of shorts, for pete's sake? Or one of my tennis skirts? Anything but those glorified, stretchy underwear.
Well, the coach, despite being a great guy, was less than understanding regarding my reluctance to race in orange and black underpants. Soooo, thankfully there are no pictures (praise God for no cell phones with cameras back in the day) and yours truly--with her sturdy legs and, well, equally sturdy backside--hit the track. I must say, after I got over my self-consciousness (and it helped that all the other girls were running in glorified underwear as well), I largely enjoyed my brief college running career...despite the fact the coaches neglected to explain to me what it meant when they rang the bell before the last lap. Trust me, would have been good to know. But that's another story for another day.
So here's the thing--the reason for the skimpy track outfits was not to humiliate the runners but to cast aside all possible weight and encumbrances that might slow us down. The outfits were to help, not hurt us and to allow us to run our race as quickly and excellently as possible. (In the interest of full disclosure, this assumes, of course, that the athlete isn't fretting about what she looks like running along with sturdy legs in orange underwear rather than fully focusing on the race...not that this ever crossed my mind. Certainly not.)
But seriously, think about it: have you ever seen anyone running a race carrying their pocket book? Or their TV? Or their computer--just in case they need to check email in the middle of a race? No way! You'll never see Olympic athletes hauling their stylish wardrobe down the track...or pulling their new car behind them...or even dragging their beloved dog along on a leash.
Nope, when it's time to race, it's just the runner--usually wearing those lovely glorified underwear (only they look a lot better in them than I did)--and nothing much else to slow them down in their effort to win the prize. No added weights or detritus of any kind that might hinder their best effort in the race.
Yet somehow, when it comes to the race God has set out for each of us to run, we tend to load ourselves down with all kinds of weights and encumbrances. The weight of worry. The weight of envy and comparison. The weight of regret and guilt. The weight of fear. The weight of distraction. No wonder we're struggling in the backstretch--all that weight is dragging us down and keeping us from running the race flat out and filled with joy.
You know what, I'm tired of worrying. I'm tired of dragging all that burdensome luggage of fear of what might happen to my loved ones...or fear of the unknown...or fear of failure. I don't want to just barely crawl across the finish line, because I'm so caught up in worrying or fretting or complaining or comparing myself to others and always feeling like I come up short. That's no way to run a race! And that's sure no way to glorify the God who made us to run and feel His pleasure free of all that weight. We want to hit the tape in full stride with heads held high and "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith." (Heb.12:2)
But we'll never be able to do that until we start getting rid of all that useless, ugly weight that's hindering our progress.
So it's high time we do some "casting aside." And that means we first have to ask the Lord to show us what's weighing us down. What weights are slowing us down killing our joy, destroying our peace, and hindering our race? We've got to recognize those weights before we can get rid of them.
Is it busyness and preoccupation? Is it worry and fear? Is it envy and comparison? Is it ingratitude and discontentment?
And then confess it for what it is--SIN. All that sin, all that weight ultimately reveals a lack of trust and faith in God.
When we're worrying, we're ultimately telling God we don't truly believe He's good; we don't truly believe His plans are good; and we don't truly believe He has our--and our loved ones--best interests at heart. And that's a lie from the pit of hell! Our Lord is always good, always great, always kind, and always working out all things for good for those who love Him. (Rom.8:28)
Finally, after acknowledging and confessing that sinful weight, we cast it aside by recognizing that Jesus died for that sin and destroyed it at the cross. "Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to Christ." (Rom.6:11) We can jettison that weight and start running our race with joyful freedom and faith, because Jesus defeated every sin, every weight at the cross. We daily, hourly need to reckon ourselves dead to that weighty sin, so we can cast it aside by the power of the Spirit that lives within us.
We all have a race to run. A race God has ordained for each of us. My race isn't like yours...and yours isn't like your neighbors. So let's stop comparing and simply start casting aside those weights and discover the joy of running freely and flat out for Jesus.
The finish line is just ahead...don't give up. Don't give in. Jettison that weight, look to Jesus, and run your race full tilt!
To God be the glory.
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