December 12, 2022
Hebrews 12:1-2 Audrey Newkirk
“As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God’s throne.”
~ Hebrews 12:1-2 (Good News Translation)
While Jesus lived among us humans on earth, he was strengthened despite such difficulty with determination of bringing the Good News, the Kingdom of God to the poor, lowly, and rejected of this world. His determination, though unknown by even his closest followers, carried him all the way from the manger to Calvary where He fulfilled what we as humans never could on our own; the perfect atonement for us most imperfect beings. In a sense, we can share in Jesus’ mission. Although we may not be tasked with sacrificing ourselves for the good of all, we do have an underlying determination which keeps our eyes fixed on the race we run daily; the race of faith. Because of Jesus, the mundane, busy, or even darkest days have purpose because our determination stems from Jesus’ commands to love one another radically and spread the Good News to the ends of the earth. Our faith is dependent on him from beginning to end, just as Jesus’ task was fulfilled through His ultimate suffering. We can run the race of faith, rising with each new day, determined to show the Kingdom of God to others just as our Lord taught us. Even if our determination is not noticed by others, our God sees our motives and takes delight in our following.
