I pray these words of encouragement over you this morning:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
As we’ve been taught, whenever we see the word therefore, we need to go back, review, and ask, “What is it there for?” Hebrews chapter 11, also known as the “Hall of Faith,” is a detailed description of many biblical figures who demonstrated faith in action. These men and women of the Old Testament served God faithfully, despite their circumstances, and despite never seeing the Messiah face to face. Listen to verses 39-40, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” That “something better” is Jesus, the Son of God, who came to this earth as a living sacrifice. It is because of his shed blood that we may be reconciled to the Father and receive his free gift of grace.
In Hebrews 12:1, we are called to “THROW OFF” the sin that hinders us: our fear, our resentment, our selfishness, our pride, our self-sufficiency, so that we may run with perseverance and fix our eyes on Jesus alone.
During this Holy Week, fix your eyes on Jesus alone. He is our Redeemer, our Joy, our Savior, our Emmanuel, our Healer, our Provider, our Everything. One way that I am “fixing my eyes on Jesus” this week, is reading through the Holy Week scriptures. There are many plans available. I am using the resources found on Anne Graham-Lotz’s website. I invite you to join me as we meditate on what God did for our world through his son, Jesus Christ. Join me in “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”
“The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.”
-Lindsay Blume
Women’s Ministry Leader at Friends Community Church