“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.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

Hebrews 12:1,2 (NLT)

 

Have you ever had times when the Lord was telling you to drop something, to strip yourself of it, to let it go?  That you will be lighter, more free, less encumbered, more effective.

And yet…….

 

 

Ugh.

That’s where I am today.  And have been.  It has bee an actual mental, emotional, even physical struggle.  I keep pulling back what I think I have already surrendered.  Why have I been dragging my feet in the dirt?

Control.

Simply that.

My pride doesn’t want to give up control.

I want to effect the outcome.

I want to manage this.

I want.

I want…..

In the book of Joshua, chapter three verse five, it says that Joshua told the Israelites, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”  God has been reminding me of this verse a number of times recently.

He has been speaking.

I’ve been hearing Him.

And I’ve been… well, I have not been allowing the Holy Spirit to permeate every corner, to consecrate my faith walk.

 

That would take complete surrender.

 

Not surrendering is so exhausting.

It’s like running the race in your coat and snow pants.

That sin, that extra weight that trips us up, its heavy.

Stripping ourselves of that weight, consecrating ourselves before our Lord,  is essential for running with endurance.

 

“Tomorrow” God is going to do something amazing!

How can that be if I’m caught up in yesterday?

My surrender of the “high places” needs to happen today.

It’s not to be saved for later.

Today.

“They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places……..Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols.”    2 Kings 17:32 & 41

These things that we hang on to, the things that gnaw at us, they become idols we are refusing to give up.

Focus is blurred.

Something else in view.  We are straining to see God around “it”.

 

“Because of the joy before Him, He endured the cross…”

Jesus surrendered.  God’s Son endured and took upon Himself that which we want to blindly hold in our tight little fists.

He surrendered and “tomorrow” held amazing things!

He conquered death.  And purchased my freedom.

 

We run with endurance by fixing our eyes on Him.

Not the past.

Not our struggles.

Not other people’s actions.

On Him.

He is the Author and Finisher, the Initiator and Perfecter of my faith.

Time to throw it off.

I much prefer running without the extra weight.

– Susie Stewart