Committed to the Call

I read that if you want to be a successful Olympic athlete, you need to work out four hours a day, 310 days a year for six years to compete for the gold. Now that’s commitment.

In the race of life, the motive that will keep us going, even when we are at times discouraged, is Jesus. We keep running for Him, because one day we will stand before Him and see Him face to face.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us . . . run with endurance the race God has set before us” (NLT). I have often said that whenever you see the word therefore in the Bible, find out what it’s there for. It’s always drawing upon what has been previously said.

The author of Hebrews is saying, “In light of what we have just learned from these heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, because of this example, let us run with endurance.”

All of these great people of faith ran the race of life so well. They weren’t perfect. They messed up. They had flaws. Yet they changed their world. The world changers of Hebrews 11 opposed the Pharaoh and counseled King Nebuchadnezzar. They passed through the Red Sea. They shouted down the walls of Jericho. They shut the mouths of lions. They called down fire and walked through fire.

Now, the author of Hebrews is saying, run like they did. Live like they did. This can be done. The world changers of Hebrews 11 did not know all that we know, yet they pressed on. The same God who was their God is also our God. The God of yesterday is the God of both today and tomorrow.