‘Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." Hebrews 10:35-36
Let us heed these words that are so applicable to our lives in the world we live in today. As an experienced endurance runner I know it matters little how I start a race in comparison with how I finish. Long distance becomes difficult near the finish — not so much at the beginning. We as believers of Christ are perhaps nearing the finish of the most important race of our lives. It is a spiritual race; it is eternal. Everyone participates in this race. Being born qualifies you. We can run listening and obeying the God who created us, or we run in total rebellion going our own way instead of His.
I want to encourage those of us who are running for Him, along with those who are not, with the words of those who have gone before us. Let us not throw away our confidence which promises us great reward. Now is not the time to give up. We have a need for endurance! When we have done the will of God and persevered we will receive the rewards God has promised. What determines success for endurance athletes is their refusal to quit or give up.
Now is not the time to shrink back:
" For in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But my righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the persevering of the soul." Hebrews 10:37-39
Please join me in setting our faces like flint as Jesus exemplified in Isaiah 50:7:
" For the Lord God helps Me, therefore I am not disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed."
These words were proclaimed in total obedience to the will of God as Jesus clearly understood God’s will for His Life was death on a cross for you and me. God the Father and the Son gave their all for us. How can we offer to do less for Them? Jesus died guiltless and sinless — totally innocent. Yet, He died for all sinners. There was nothing fair or just about it. It is God’s way verses man’s, and His ways are so much higher than ours. It is called unconditional love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and redemption. It is the great exchange worth dying for. Meditate.
In His love.
Teresa Roberts
Masterpiece Fitness
276-237-6680
Endurance and perseverance was required on a 10.8 mile run at Castle Rock Gorge Trail in Smith River, Va this week, but the reward was great! It is strenuous, but I highly recommend it!
