Bear with me. I can hear you now. “I can’t even run without endurance. Why are you telling a group of chronically ill and disabled people to run with endurance?” This kind of running, you can do!

Hebrews 12:1-2, “12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

We are to run with patience which here means endurance and steadfastness the race that is set before us. Let’s dig in a little deeper.

1. Why? Because of what has been said before. Hebrews 11 has been called the “Hall of Faith.” All of these who have gone on before are the “wherefore.” We have this cloud of witnesses. We have the reports of all these who have gone on before, suffered unimaginable things, and stayed faithful.
2. What? We are to lay aside the sin and weight (burden) which comes to us so easily and run the race that is set before us. Did you notice that? We are to run the race that is set before us.
   • A few weeks ago, my family and I “ran” (OK… scooted) a 5K to support my nephew who has DMD. Do you know what? We didn’t go the week before and lay out the path. Nope. We just showed up. The race had already been mapped out for us.
   • In the same way, our race of life has already been set out for us. The really cool thing is that God set it out for us. God set out this race for us.
3. When? I think the “let us run…” would indicate now and ongoing, run this race. Today, run the race. Tomorrow, run the race. Until God calls us home, run the race.
4. How? Keep your eyes on Jesus. He is the author and finisher (perfecter) of our faith. We need to not be distracted. Our job is to keep our eyes on Jesus.
5. Why? Jesus saw the joy before Him (eternity with God and we saints) and endured the cross. It was horrible suffering, but He did it. He has now sat down at the throne of God.

Wow! We can look to Jesus no matter the course our race of life takes. We can run our race with endurance!

Verses from the KJV, public domain.