“Fix Your Eyes On Jesus As You Run The Race Of Faith With Perseverance!”

“Fix Your Eyes On Jesus As You Run The Race Of Faith With Perseverance!”
During a certain Young Presbyterians(YP) Rally, there was a “sack race” with about ten contestants. There was this little boy who impressed me so much and taught me a great lesson of life. The race was intended to get the first three as winners. By the time they got the three winners this little boy had not covered half the distance. While some gave up after the first three had emerged winners, this boy kept on until he got to the winning point.
I always remember that boy each time I read these words, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”
The Christian race is not about giving up on the way because some of the contestants have been declared winners. It is about “running with perseverance” while fixing your eyes on reaching the winning point.
The joy of it is that we are surrounded by a large crowd of witnesses, meaning all the saints of old who “were commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” They are waiting to cheer us as we engage in the Christian race as they did. Even though they arrived the winning point earlier, “God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
To run the Christian race we must “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…” There’s a lot of distractions on the road to salvation. Once we get entangled with them, we lose focus. To get to the finishing point needs “perseverance!” You have to keep on keeping on!
If you want to win the race, fix your eyes on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of your life. Fixing your eyes on Jesus is not an easy feat. He himself endured opposition from sinful men. If you take this into consideration, you will “not grow weary and lose heart”(Heb.12:1-3) like those other YP contestants who gave up because the first three had arrived the winning point! Like the little boy their winning should not cause you to grow weary and lose heart. Far from it, focus on your goal.
Remember Christ called you to the race and he is the one to ensure your winning; that is why he is “the author and perfecter of your faith.” Look only to him and not to humans!
Today is Palm Sunday when Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem! He entered to die as an encouragement that nothing should deter you on your race towards him. Remain steadfast, be persevering, fully aware that the race is not always for the swift, but for those who reach the winning point.
Palm Sunday prayer: Lord Jesus as I run the race of faith with perseverance I fix my eyes only on you. Amen!
Peace be with you! Have a blessed and Happy Palm Sunday!