October 1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. — Heb 12:1 BSB

Every deep desire of your soul for the Lord Jesus; every inner stirring of faith, hope, and love toward His precious name; every awareness of your guilt and danger as a lost and condemned sinner that drives you to flee from coming judgment; every effort to escape the world and sin as if your life depended on it, and every cry of your heart asking God for mercy and blessing—these inward actions of a believing heart striving for salvation as a real, experienced possession, as the prize of our high calling, are illustrated by the image of “running the race set before us.”

The Christian understands that there’s a prize to be won—eternal life—and a victory to be achieved—victory over death and hell. They also know the consequences of not winning this prize or gaining this victory: an eternity of misery. Therefore, regardless of what others might think or say, they feel the necessity of running even if others stand still, and fighting even if others are defeated. But to do this, a person must have the life of God within. It’s by divine grace and power that we even begin to run, and continual strength is required from Christ, the source of our life, to keep going. To persevere to the end and win the prize, we need Christ’s strength made perfect in our weakness. But the believer does win; they become more than a conqueror through Him who loves them. Jesus has promised that they won’t be defeated, for “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,” but rather, “the lame take the prey,” and it’s “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts.