“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,”
Jesus broke bread and raised wine and is present to administer Himself when we commune with Him at His table and remember Him and what He has already won.
Jesus is on the track before us encouraging us in our race and to make our destination.
“You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”
We must not be hindered by rules, regulations, expectations that confine us that cause us to stop and camp in a place that is poor substitute and not our vision and destination .
“He also allured you out of distress into a broad place where there was no cramping, and what was set on your table was full of fatness.”
Jesus leads us to freedom and spaciousness a place of overcoming. He is setting the pace.
He lifts us from our feet into another realm to achieve all things in His strength and not our own. What He has already done.
“I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.”
Doubt, unbelief, misperceptions rooted from sources in the world or our past experiences are like bindweed that entangles our feet and hearts and holds us back or prisoner.
We have to throw them off and allow Him to disentangle us from untruths to be encouraged by the fullness of truth in Jesus and love. Move forwards focused and unhindered.
“that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
We can win the race just walking in Him. Set straight to move forwards. Unafraid of the future and therefore not looking back. Disentangled from baggage from the past that has been left behind. Untied from who and what the enemy has attached us to.
We hunger to be with Him at His table just as He has invited us to be . There is nothing of ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’ to be considered only that it is there we commune with love that is the vision and essence of who we are.
The illustration shows the race following the baton forwards towards our destination of freedom. Untangling ourselves from the grasp of the bindweed rooted in the world that distract and deter us. The light emanating from those freed pushing back the darkness.
Five Scriptures that come to mind:
“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,”. Hebrews 12:1 ESV
“I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.”Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 ESV
“He also allured you out of distress into a broad place where there was no cramping, and what was set on your table was full of fatness.” Job 36:16 ESV
“that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:2-3 ESV
“You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”Galatians 5:7 ESV
The song. I Need You. Jessie Harris
Lessisgreater 