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… (Hebrews 12.1-2a)
Hebrews 11 is often referred to the “Faith Hall of Fame,” filled with some the most incredible characters in the Old Testament along with their greatest acts of faith. The list is downright impressive, especially to a 1st century Jewish audience like the one the letter was written to: Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Samson and David, just to name a few. Those original readers must have been nodding in approval the whole time they read this highlight reel from the scriptures they knew and loved. But when they came to the end of the list, they may have been shaking their head in disbelief instead. That’s because in Hebrews 11.39-40 something is written that is far more unbelievable than a giant boat being built to save humanity, a 90-year-old women having a baby or a sea being miraculously transformed into a highway. What could be inconceivable than those miracles? What could cause those early believers to doubt if God was able? It was an audacious promise that God had planned something even greater for them.
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us… (Hebrews 11.39-40)
It’s one thing to believe that God can perform a miracle but it’s something altogether different to believe that He can and will do it through you. It’s amazing how easy it is for us to have faith for others but not ourselves. The author of Hebrews was challenging his readers to realize that God wasn’t finished with great things; in fact, He was planning even GREATER things for those who trusted in Christ.
That gets us back to our scripture at the top, which starts with “Therefore…” or, “because what I just said is true, listen up…” The fact that God had greater things in store for those first readers meant something about how they should live their lives. That kind of unbelievable promise matters – it did for them and it still does for us. In the challenge that follows I find a great self-exam that I think we could all use to pray through, especially at the beginning of a New Year and during a time of fasting and seeking God. Here they are:
(1) What things do I need to throw off?
The text seems to indicate that these things can be sinful or not. It goes without saying that asking God to search our hearts for sin that may hold us back from greater things is important. But what if what’s holding us back from greater is actually something good? Lean in on yourself here. What weights am I carrying? What’s holding me back?
(2) Where do I need to pick up the pace?
The purpose of throwing our sin and weights off is so that we can “run the race.” Sometimes we talk about the Christian faith as a walk but, while that’s not an inherently wrong analogy, this verse tells us that we need to prepare, not for walking, but for running a race. Where have you gotten comfortable? Where are you just easing your way through? Is it your prayer life? Your marriage? Your health? In what areas of your life do you need to hit the gas and do more?
(3) Am I running the wrong race?
It’s not enough to just run a race. Because God has planned greater things for us, we have to commit ourselves to running THE race that HE has laid out for us. Running the wrong race and chasing the wrong things will lead to us being distracted, frustrated, burned-out and ineffective. We run the risk of winning a race, only to find out that it wasn’t the one we were called to run. What is distracting you from your purpose? One of the most effective things you may do this New Year is to write a STOP DOING LIST. Instead of just adding other races to run, eliminate the things in your life that are superficial and unnecessary.
(4) Am I focused on Jesus?
The challenge to embrace greater things ends with a call to fix our eyes on Jesus. The Greek word used is aphoronte, a compound verb that indicates separation from something and attention to something. It’s a call to turn our eyes away from all else and focus our attention on Jesus only. Jesus himself said, “If your eyes are single (literally, “not braided”), your whole body will be full of light” (Mtt. 6.22). Is your vision twisted around a multiplicity of things or are you focused on the person of Jesus? How is your worship life? What’s the reading on your spiritual thermometer? Are you passionate about His cause?
Praying through these questions is important because the promise to the Hebrews is still true for us today. God has planned greater things than we’ve seen or imagined and we’ve got to prepare ourselves for them.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3.20-21)