Hebrews 12: 1’Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ‘
I used to run road races few years back and I remember when ever I invited someone I would always tell them to run at their own pace, that they shouldn’t wait for me but rather focus on their race for that day. The process of running was not easy but I kept on going. There was an endurance that was being built inside. The beauty about our race as children of God is the unmerited grace given by our Father. Grace that shows up to lift us or even represent the excellence that our Father is. The scripture above reminds us of those who walked the earth before us, the men and women of God who lived the life of faith. A lot went through many things and others were counted as unworthy of the titles but grace had already marked them. There was grace over their lives that had already set them apart and positioned them for the life God had designed for them.
Abraham who at the age of 99 received a promise from God. His wife who was 90 years old would bear him a son, grace was released when God made this promise to Abraham therefore no age or any human limitation could make this word void. Romans 4:19-21 shows us how this man’s faith endured, in spite of his wife’s age and worldly clocks he held on to the truth. Grace to hold on was unleashed, there was no other truth besides what he heard from our Father.
Phillippians 2:’For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. ‘There is something God is doing in you and to know that the thoughts we have are all part of His plan is so comforting. Grace is freely given to us because there is a big plan God has and for us to get there we need grace. Grace to make us exempt from feeling any expected emotion but focus on the high calling before us (Phillippians 3:14). In Mark 4:35-38 Jesus told His disciples that they should go to the other side, while on the way Jesus fell asleep and the bible in verse 37 says; “But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.” The disciples got scared and woke Jesus up but King Jesus woke up and commanded the wind. “Be quite”, Jesus commanding the wind and to the waves He said “be still”. He didn’t allow what He saw or heard make Him forget what He had said. The words Jesus spoke came with grace so that whatever happens on the way they endure because there was so much to be done on the other side. Grace helps us overlook our momentary circumstances and gets us to the other side. This is when we realise that there is a God in heaven who has a plan in motion for our lives. We endure because we know how this story ends, it ends in victory.
Think of how Jesus looked beyond pain and the betrayals, He focused on the call that He had been commissioned to. Nothing could change His mind. He endured, with so much grace He endured. Taking back my Father’s children is what was echoing in His spirit. He knew that being nailed to the cross was not really how He’s going to get to heaven, He goes to heaven when He is done doing what He was sent to do and at His own word.
I pray that you run your race and that grace to get you to the other side be released. I pray that your eyes be opened as the plan of God concerning you becomes clearer, no matter how big that plan looks may grace show you how possible it is. There are witnesses in heaven who are cheering for you, the bible in James 5:17-18 says that Elijah was human as we are and yet he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell. He prayed again and the heaven gave rain. These witnesses were human like us, they just took advantage of the mighty grace. Approach that throne of grace so that you can also receive grace.
God bless you