“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, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Hebrews 12:1–4, ESV)
Running A Race
The analogy of running a race is fitting for our current cultural climate. As you talk to many people, they feel like they are constantly “running” here and there and everywhere. Many feel exhausted and overwhelmed with life. They feel like they are running a never-ending race leading to nowhere.
No Endpoint
In some ways, it’s true. Many people are running around through life, never thinking about where they are going. They feel like they aren’t making any headway—always spinning their wheels—because they don’t even know if they are heading in the right direction. They are frantically wondering through life.
The solution is to have an endpoint to look at—to keep your eyes on. That’s what helps you know when you are making some progress. As you stay focused on the end point, and as you see it coming closer, you know you are heading in the right direction and making some progress.
Keep Your Eyes on Jesus
It’s a powerful that’s made in this passage: “Run the with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). We are called to make Jesus our “end point,” the goal of everything we do. As we run through this life, accomplishing the tasks set before us, we are to make sure we keep our eyes on Jesus. He’s our endpoint. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus as we help our children get ready for school in the morning, or as we head to work, or as we do our Christmas shopping.
By keeping our eyes on Jesus, we can know whether we are making some progress and can prevent that feeling of “spinning our wheels” or frantically doing lots of things but getting nowhere. By keeping our eyes on Jesus in the midst of everyday life, we keep focused on what is most important—we keep focused on the ultimate purpose of our life—and can tell whether or not we are making progress. The question to ask in the midst of this franticness is, “Am I getting closer to Jesus?” If the answer is yes, then you’re making progress. If the answer is no, then you're wandering around.
Tempted to Quit
Obviously, in the midst of this running obstacles will come up and trials will come. We can become tired and weary. We can become distracted and disengaged. We can forget to keep our eyes on Jesus. As a result, we are tempted to quit the race—to step off the track and sit on the sidelines.
Yet, when we’re tempted to quit, the solution is to look at Jesus. “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Hebrews 12:3–4, ESV). When you’re tempted to grow weary and fainthearted, tempted to step off the track and sit on the sidelines, look to Jesus and find strength to continue running the race.
Looking to Jesus During Advent
For many people, the “holiday season”—which is actually the Advent season—is a time characterized by frantic busyness. Yet, waiting should be the primary characteristic of Advent—waiting with our eyes on Jesus.
Interestingly enough, waiting in the Christian life doesn’t mean not doing anything—it doesn’t mean sitting on the sidelines. Waiting means running the race with our eyes on Jesus. During Advent, waiting means preparing for the celebration of the Messiah. It means getting things ready for a party. Yet, we must make sure we are doing these things with our eyes on Jesus. When our eyes turn away from Jesus, and onto the things themselves, we are no longer waiting. We are running around frantically wearing ourselves out.
So, keep your eyes on Jesus as you run the race this Advent season, waiting for the celebration to come.