ABCS Staff Devotional | April 26, 2024
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Hebrews 12:1-3
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by life and all the things that don’t seem to being going right? I am currently walking through one of those seasons where it feels like I am having to fight multiple battles at the same time, and I don’t feel like I am making any progress. In our family with four little boys, we seem to experience perpetual sickness during the winter months. It is discouraging when you think everyone is well again and then you get hit with another sickness. On top of that, my truck is having engine issues and the A/C on our family van went out. I caught myself thinking… “Can’t I catch a break God? Why do I need to keep walking through these difficulties?” I felt doubt in God’s power over the situations starting to creep into my mind. I asked Him how He was going to fix the mess.
Then Holy Spirit reminded me of this passage in Hebrews 12. And the word endurance stuck out to me as I meditated on the passage. Simply put, endurance is not giving up in the midst of difficulty. In these first three verses of Hebrews 12 we see endurance referenced three times. Once in the context of our own personal life race, once in the context of Jesus’ endurance to die on a cross and finally in the context of the reality that Jesus endured the cross because of the hostility and sin of every human being in the world, myself included! I want you to pause for a minute and reflect back on your personal list of things in your life that are not going well. My list pales in comparison to what Jesus endured. But because of His endurance to face sin for all humanity, you and I now have the ability to endure the hardships we face with Jesus right by our side. He was victorious over it so that in this very moment you might be victorious and not grow weary or fainthearted. That is something worth celebrating! Difficulties will remain, but I challenge you to find rest in the endurance provided by our loving Savior today as you run your race!
– David Trenbeath, Central Region Program Administrator