By: Bruce and Carole Haines

^{Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.} (Hebrews 12:1-2)

^{According to this verse there is a race that has been set before us. God has marked out the route ahead of time. And the route that is set before us has challenges that are listed in the verse that show what will be required of us to finish the race. “Let us throw off everything that hinders us”. This “everything” is a very broad term that may seem so non-specific that we may wonder how to put it into practice. I can’t help but think that “everything” is used to show how our time and attention can be given to so many things; so many distractions are present during the course of any given day. And the description of sin “entangling us”. How could we possibly consider even starting a race while we are entangled. Sin and distraction will add to the weight we carry when we run.
And toward the end of the race, we have come so far, but in order to cross that finish line, we must run even harder, push harder toward that line to cross it and win. This is the “running with perseverance” that the verse also mentions. Sometimes life can feel this way. But when we are at our own end, running out of our own strength, the strength of Christ seems to flow into our being with such gentle force, that He has lifted us up and is carrying us over that finish line in His strength and not our own. And that is something I need to be reminded of often. I am not in this race alone, when Christ saved me and brought me into His Kingdom, He became not only my savior, but my coach, my counselor, my inspiration as well. Imagine all those friends and family cheering us on as they see us hobbling toward the goal, they are urging us on, beckoning us to keep running, keep coming. “You’re almost there!”
 It’s a beautiful scene to picture in our minds when life feels hard and our strength feels thin. We need each other to cross that line, locking arms to share our strength with one another.
And who is at that finish line cheering louder than all the rest of the crowd? It is Jesus. And that is why we fix our eyes on Him. This literally means to deliberately turn our eyes away from anything else and focus intently on Him.
We do this because He is there, He is the one we are running toward. Yet Jesus is also the One running right alongside us right here and right now. We are truly never alone. By fixing our eyes on Jesus, we are choosing faith over fear.}