Engergizing Presence

Ray Ortlund post:  Every race is runnable

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.  Hebrews 12:1-2

The amazing believers of the past — their lives make this undeniable statement: Every race is runnable.

We think, “My life is more than I can bear.  God is asking too much of me.  I’ve grown and changed and repented all I can.  So, I’ll settle down.  I’ll manage a church-going status quo.  I’ll even call it ‘faithfulness.’”  But that isn’t faithfulness.  Not as Hebrews 11 defines living by faith.  Not by a mile.

If we are feeling weighed down and exhausted, the problem isn’t Jesus.  He is unfailingly an energizing presence.  Nor is the problem the race he has called us to run.  The problem is something else, even something non-sinful and allowable, but it prevents us from running an unleashed, all-out race.  Getting clean rid of it, because our hearts are reaching for the promises of God — that is living by faith.

Living that way, we’ll be surprised at how near the Lord is and how much we can keep growing.  Life will become an adventure again.