Hebrews 12:1
How would you characterize your season of competition, more like a sprint or a marathon? Which one requires more perseverance, the ten second race or the two hour race? Those answers are obvious, but the keys to such perseverance and endurance are a little more elusive.
The letter to the Hebrews mentions such values in chapter 12 and verse 1, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”I have a friend who is an 8 time winner of the Boston Marathon, in a wheelchair! Jean Driscoll knows what endurance is. To win that race requires going 26.2 miles in a wheelchair, in just over 1 and ½ hours. That’s fast and fast for a long time. That’s what endurance looks like.
Your course is set before you this season, it’s called a schedule. We can all see it, but can we all finish it with endurance? We certainly can if we’ll heed the instructions from the earlier parts of the verse. We must keep our predecessors in mind for inspiration and encouragement. We must lay aside those things which weigh us down and ensnare our lives. Lastly, we must compete every day with the end of the season in mind. Let’s compete for a championship and approach every day of practice and each competition like champions.
Bible Reading Plan:
John 9:26-41
Job 9:21-35
Ezekiel 27-28
John 9:26-41
Job 9:21-35
Ezekiel 27-28
Roger Lipe is an acclaimed author/writer and also serves as the executive director of the southern Illinois chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and chaplain for SIU Football. Follow Roger at www.sifca.org and http://sportchaplainsportmentor.blogspot.com/ .
