"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." —Hebrews12:1-2
Stare at something long enough and it starts to look bigger than it is. That goes for whatever you fix your eyes on, including God. Your trouble cannot touch who He is,but it can obstruct your view of Him.
The believers who first received Hebrews knew what trouble looked like. Following Jesus had cost them publicly, and some among them had already stoppedgathering with the church. The author never suggests their suffering is small. He moves their eyes somewhereelseentirely.
He starts by pointing backward. Chapter eleven walks through a long line of people who took God at His Word. Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, and more names than the authorsays he has time to tell. Some of them conquered kingdoms and saw their dead raised to life. Others were mocked, flogged, chained, stoned, and sawn in half. Not one of themreceived all that God promised in their lifetime. What ties them together is not how their stories turned out. It is that they trusted the Lord for what they could not see,and He was not ashamed tobecalledtheirGod.
That is why Hebrews tells us to strip off every weight and the sin that so easily entangles, and to run the race marked out for us with our eyes fixed onJesus. He is called the founder and perfecter of our faith, and both halves of that title matter. He is the One who called you to faith, and He is the Onewho will bring it to completion. He endured the cross and despised its shame because of the joy He knew was waiting on the other side. Now He is seated at theright hand of the throne of God,intercedingforyou.
As a result, Hebrews calls us to endurance. It is not a demand for willpower, but an invitation to change our focus. Ahead of you is a kingdom that cannot be shaken,and a faithful God who has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And His grace equips us with the abilitytoendurejustasHedid.
So lift your eyes. You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who trusted God without ever seeing the end, and in front of you is Christ. Fix your eyes onHim, and everything elselosesitsholdonyou.
Reflection Question: What sin or weight have you been holding on to that you need to lay down? What would change in your life if you determined to fix your eyes on Jesus andrun your race with theenduranceHeprovides?
Prayer: Father, You are worthy of my trust, and You have never once failed the people who waited on You without seeing the end. Thank You for Jesus, who ran this whole roadahead of me and endured the cross for the joy set before Him. Thank You that He is the same yesterday and today and forever, and that the kingdom You are givingme cannot be shaken. Forgive me for letting what is in front of me fill my entire view. Help me lift my eyes off my circumstances and fix them on Jesus. Equipme to endure to the end. In Jesus'name,amen.
Love the shirt. The material it is manufactured with is my favorite… Very soft and comfortable.
Delivery was on time and I have had several compliments and smiles while wearing the T-shirt. Thanks for all you do. Continued success with your business.
I love your t-shirts. So comfortable. Fit perfectly. I love 100%cotton shirts. I am ordering more. I am in love. Thank you so much! Also fast shipping. You are my new favorite company! Sorry about the T-shirt being sideways. I will correct that next time.
Great shirt! Love the quality of the tee shirt. Not thin but just right weight very comfortable fit true to size. Color is exactly as described. I showed my T-shirt at BSF today. The shirt tied in with this study in Romans.
I love it!!!! The color is beautiful, and the fit is exactly as expected. The quality of the sewing is great! I expect this sweater to last for years and years and can’t wait to wear it out. 🥰
Fits to size perfect, didn't shrink. the material is comfortable and seems like it will stand up to time. The communication was good and my order came in a timely matter. However, the shirt needs a good ironing (yes I still iron stuff) my daughters don't get it. I can't wait to wear this to fellowship :)
I love this shirt soooo much! I’ve been eye-balling it for awhile because I love the OT, and I’ve studied the sacrificial system in depth. I also love a little bit of humor and sarcasm, so this shirt had my name written all over it! :) It’s great quality and just as shown in the pic. I wear a 10/12, and I got the medium. It fits just how I would expect (not too small!). I’m 5’4.5”, 160 lbs, and pear shaped, if that helps you pick your size.
My husband wanted this shirt right away lol, and now we’re ordering another couple. Thanks for thinking of these clever phrases. Appreciate the coupons!! Thank you!
The first place I went to with my shirt was a Women's Conference that weekend. The opening hostess made a comment that she was a woman who was more comfortable with a tent peg her hand and if you didn't know what she was talking about read Judges 4. Imagine her delight when I saw her afterwards with my Jael t-shirt!
Love the quality but I just have one huge request and that is to make v-neck shirts available for women. I usually don't buy crewneck T-shirts but I couldn't resist your designs. I'd probably buy more if I could get v-necks, 😉
Good overall experience. Shirt was darker than expected according to stock photos but still a nice shirt. T-shirt material heavy weight feel for those who might wonder, but seems to be a material that will last for a long time.
I love my shirt. I wore it to church yesterday and it was a big hit! I have ordered shirts from ya’ll before and will be ordering again many times. I have to save my money!❤️
Love these shirts! I bought several to wear to the gym mostly as potential conversation starters, but also enjoy wearing them to Bible study too where I know they’ll be appreciated and garner a few smiles.
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Amen!