Current topic: Pray with us for Families.
Good morning.
Why would the urging on of people to obedience be seen as encouragement? Aren’t you just motivating me to do more work, to get more trouble in terms of persecution? I have enough trouble as it is. Aren’t encouragement saying things like ‘keep going, the Lord loves you and will bless you’?
“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,” (Hebrews 12:1).
This sounds like encouragement to me, but what are we encouraged to do? Are we encouraged to hold out under the circumstances, to pray until life is better so we can continue living for ourselves or to be patient for the Lord is dealing with our weaknesses? No, we are encouraged to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that ties us up so we can’t move in the direction the Lord wants us to go. The Holy Spirit will point out what we should get rid of, but it is up to us to get the hindrances out of the way ourselves with His power.
Then we are encouraged to run the race marked out for us with perseverance. We have a goal to pursue – the purpose for which we are called. Each of us has a purpose on earth and one day, when the race is over and we’ve accomplished our purpose, we’ll enjoy the rewards. That’s why urging one another on to obedience is actually encouragement – keep going, heaven is waiting. Life is tough and doing the Lords bidding makes life even tougher at times, which is why we should run the race with perseverance.
Encouragement to do what we’re expected to do in spite of hardship is therefore actually saying ‘keep going, the tougher it is on earth, the sweeter it’ll be in heaven’. Isn’t that insane? Shouldn’t we comfort one another with words like ‘the Lord will look after you; He is good and kind and will not let you suffer too much’? Shall we consider the following? “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart,” (Hebrews 12:2, 3).
Jesus set the example. With joy He set out to run the race placed before Him, accomplishing the purpose for which He was sent to earth. Do you think it was tough for Him? I’m sure He desired some comfort in materialism and relaxing entertainment at times and when all these sinful men opposed Him and circumstances threatened to overcome Him he felt like giving up His call. But He persevered right through the shame of the cross and now He’s enjoying His reward – sitting at the right hand of God.
Encouraging one another to do what we need to do, to get rid of our materialistic lifestyles and accomplish our goal in spite of the resulting hardship and persecution is actually encouraging one another to a better life – in heaven. We live for heaven and earth is just our day job. Jesus said in John 9:4: “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” During the work day (our lifespan) we’re not sitting in our comfort zones having fun – we work. But when the day’s work is over, heaven is our home!
Lord, I want to run my race like you did yours.
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