Read Hebrews 12:1-2 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
- What has God set before us?
- How are we instructed to run?
- How is Jesus described?
Reflect
The author of Hebrews calls the life of faith a race and encourages us to run it with endurance. Believers throughout history have needed perseverance. God never promised that the race would be easy; in fact, the Greek word for “race” is agona, which is where we get our word “agony” from.
If we’re going to endure in the race of faith, we must recognize the challenge that comes with the terrain. We can’t control the circumstances that will come our way, but if we let what’s happening around us determine our race, we’ll never let God do what He wants inside us. To run well, we have to keep our eyes on Him. He has gone before us, so He knows the paths we’ll take and empathizes with the challenges we face.
Where does your focus land when you face trials – on your circumstances or on Jesus? How does His presence encourage you in your race today? Where have you seen His care for you through a challenge you’ve faced before?
Respond
Pray through these questions, and write down what God is prompting you to do next. Share with a friend, and take a step to apply it.
Remember
During At the Movies, each week we’ll focus on remembering what we read. If you're new to memorizing Scripture, start by looking at one section of one verse to remember this week.
Read Hebrews 12:1-2 again to remember. If you want to begin by memorizing just part of it, start with this phrase:
“...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.”
Memory Tip: Write the phrase or verses on a sticky note and put it somewhere you visit often – for example, on your car’s dashboard so you can memorize it while you’re stopped in traffic, or on your bathroom mirror to read it a few times each morning and evening.