I recently read Far Reaching Ministries monthly newsletter, written by Wes Bentley, who writes:
“Our Nuba chaplains have experienced 23.5 years of war in the last 25 years. They are well trained and disciplined men. When they face hardship, they see it only as an obstacle to be overcome through prayer and perseverance. To them, there is never a reason to shrink back or fall out of the race.”
It makes me really wonder (with a certain fear and concern) about how much I am distracted, and how that could lead to my shrinking back in the face of adversity, which I cannot claim to have endured. I’ve always thought that those in the midst of trials are the ones most likely to “run the race” well, and to “fight the good fight” well.
Wes mentions a race that those chaplains are running. The fact is we are all running a race. The question is, how are we running it?
We’ve talked about Hebrews 12:1-2 in the context of “... laying aside ... the sin which does so easily beset us...”
Hebrews 12:1-2
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
But I recently looked at that passage a little closer and found something that I’ve tended to overlook in the past. The full phrase about laying aside is “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us...”
I think it’s noteworthy to identify that first thing – “every weight”. He lists that as an additional thing to the sin that can beset us.
That “beset” speaks of a persistent trouble or difficulty. The writer goes on the speak of “running with patience the race that is set before us...” That speaks of our life and walk with Jesus. Paul uses this analogy a number of times to parallel our walk with God with running a race or “fighting a good fight”.
Acts 20:23-27 is another great passage, and in verse 24, Paul says that he might finish his course with joy.
Think of what a long distance runner does when preparing for a race. He trains, he endures things, he puts aside the bad food, and on the day of the race, you won’t see him wearing a heavy backpack. He will have stripped as much of his weight from his body, he will have endured not taking in foods that will cause him to gain more weight, and on the day of that race, he wears as little as possible so as to not hinder his run.
Certainly, we want to lay aside the sin that besets us. But what about those things that we call liberties? Here's where the challenge is for me. I understand about liberties, and how we are under grace. However, I want to please my God. There. I said it: I WANT TO PLEASE MY GOD! I want to run this race well! And it is not legalistic to recognize that there are many “liberties” that I could partake of, that will hinder my race – that will distract me from what God has set out to accomplish through me. Thus, that is the reason I so need and desire a disciplined life. To ultimately endure to the end of my race and hear those words from my Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your King”.