“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 marked out for us, looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith...” (Heb.12:1-2)
We’re finishing up our study of Hebrews in Bible study, and, wow, what a magnificent book. I’ve been so challenged week after week to see and seek Christ above all else as the supreme treasure in my life. If we want to run our race by faith, then we’ve got to keep our focus trained on Christ, “the Founder and Perfecter of our faith.”
Okay, that’s a broad brush background for what we’ve been discussing in Bible study, and I thought I would briefly recap over the next week or so a bit of what we’ve been learning. I just need to be reminded of what I already know...but all too quickly forget.
It seems as if we’re always moving on to the next new thing--the next email we need to deal with. The next problem pressing in upon us. The next item on our to do list. The next book we’re reading. The next big project on which we need to get busy. Even the next chapter in Bible study...and we (or at least I) fail to go back and just think and recall. Just contemplate and assimilate what experiences we’ve been through, what we’ve learned....how God moved and what He taught us. We--or at least I--don’t do that nearly enough because it’s time to rush, rush, rush to the next item on our agenda.
That’s a lot of words to say, don’t you think we all need time to pause, take a deep breath, and slow down, even for a moment, to reflect upon what God’s teaching us in the midst of our busy lives? Funny how many treasures we miss because we’re so busy focusing upon the road up ahead, rather than slowing down to look at the path right beside us and even behind us.
Oh forgive me Lord, for missing those jewels of grace, of illumination, of kindness that You have so generously sprinkled along my path. I fail to notice them or recall them in my relentless haste to rush on to the next big thing. Some things require time and marination before they are ready to reveal themselves to us. What are we missing in all our pushing ahead and moving on as quickly as we can?
And one more thing: if we miss those things God’s been teaching us or fail to see the ways He’s been good to us or simply forget--all because we’re hurrying ahead--then we can’t thank Him. We miss the priceless opportunity for thanksgiving and praise. Yet nothing enhances our joy or fuels our hope more than gratitude and worship! That means we’re cheating ourselves of that priceless, life-filling, attitude-altering, God-glorifying gift of thankfulness and praise. Which, incidentally, is ultimately why we were placed on this planet--to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
“Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name.” (Heb.13:15)
So, in the next few blogs, I’m going to try to go back and recall a bit of what God’s been teaching us in Hebrews. Well, that’s the plan anyway...but we all know about the best-laid plans!
Father, forgive us when we fail to see Your grace and remember Your goodness in our relentless quest to hurry on to the next big thing. Teach us to slow down and savor You and Your gifts even as we keep moving down the busy paths of our lives. Thank You that Your “mercies are new every morning,” (Lam.3:23) so no matter what happened yesterday, we have fresh, new reasons for which to praise Your name and give You thanks today.
Let’s put our lips to work and continually offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise to God! To God be the glory.
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