Thanksgiving.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance, the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God"
Hebrews 12:1-2


I made an effort, ashamedly for the first time, to spend much of last week at the mercy seat focusing on the cross. The last days that Jesus walked on earth and the misery and glory that was the cross.

I spent a lot of time in the gospels and Philippians- in tears over the agony and persecution that my Jesus, my dear King Jesus, faced on the road to calvary.

To imagine the way that the scriptures I was reading were alive in that day- and seem so very alive and are so real to me now.

He did that for me. So that I may have life.
This kind of undeserved love puts me on my face in thanksgiving.
Thank you, Jesus. Thank you. Thank you. Forever Thank you.

I came upon this specific passage in Hebrews on Saturday morning- and it stuck to my spirit.

The phrase "founder and perfecter of our faith" was highlighted in my mind.

Jesus- endured the cross for He KNEW was joy was set before him!

I started to create a flow chart in my mind of what this looked like in my life.

I broke this scripture down over the days and began to saturate the truth of the words.

Do this with me.


"Let us lay aside every weight and sins that clings so closely..."

I must daily acknowledge sin in my life.
This means that I need to check myself... for pride, jealousy, evil heart, bitter emotions, etc on a constant and consistent basis.

Unaddressed emotion, sin, guilt and the like can WEIGH US down...essentially make us ineffective in this race to glory.

I must remember that there is a war. An enemy that looks to kill and destroy.

"Let us run with endurance, the race that it set before us..."

Run. Endurance. Race.

Endurance means : The fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.

This race that is set before us will not be level, easy or without difficulty- but we are to not give way!

We cannot do this own our own...we are to have our eyes set...

"Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith"

The ultimate example of endurance.


"who for the joy set before him endured the cross..."

The words endure the cross hold such an incredible and painful story within them.
Remember the cross. Meditate on the cross.
King Jesus endured the most unpleasant and difficult situation without giving way because He knew the joy that was set before him.


As funny as it is- I found myself saying-
What a joy it must have been to have Heaven on the other end of such suffering.

Well- Amy Byrd- YOU have the SAME JOY at the end of this race.


Why do I not daily live, breath and meditate on the everlasting JOY that is set before me?

This passage in Hebrews starts with THEREFORE-...FOR THIS REASON...CONSEQUENTLY-

We ARE surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.

God has placed before us many examples of saints of the faith that have endured and pressed on towards the goal- pressed on to Glory!

I realize it may seem silly to break down a passage that many of us have read and heard more than enough- but goodness is struck me this weekend.

Jesus is my example.

Every day of this vapor of life on earth is to be devoted to looking more like Christ and bringing glory to His Kingdon.

To be able to do this I must:

1. Acknowledge and deal with Sin
2. Look to Jesus- Spend time sitting at His feet
3. Run with endurance the race
4. Remember the JOY that is set before me


I am a visual person. So the picture at the top is my new "visual" for this passage of scripture.

I love how we only see a portion of the road.
The photographer chooses to only reveal a certain portion of the road and the rest if left in the fog- unknown terrain beyond.

What an image of our race.

A life that we see only a glimpse into our future- but our eyes set on Jesus- our example of one whose eyes were set on Glory.

May it be said of us- that we endured the road and finished the race with our eyes set on Christ and joy in our hearts for our Savior is alive and seated at the right hand of the throne of God.