Faithbase

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Here the writer of Hebrews is explaining chapter 11. He says, therefore, referencing all of chapter 11, based on all of these people who have lived a life of faithfulness, and their lives have been changed and marked by the faith that they had in God, he says, let us do the same. We have a race marked out for us, and that race is a life filled with action and response. That's what we saw in chapter 11. People changing the way they live today based on what they believe. He's saying, and so now you do the same thing. What's the race marked out for you? It was different for Abraham, it was different for Moses, and different for David, and for all of the prophets. It looked different for everyone. It's gonna be a little bit different for you. There's gonna be some very similar and familiar themes in every story, but it's gonna be a story of faithfulness to the God who is the creator of the universe, and who loves you so much. And he says, how do we do this? He says, fix your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and the perfecter of your faith. Jesus, I love the way that another version puts it. It says Jesus is the author of our faith. Jesus is the beginning and the very start, the pioneer of our faith, and he is the perfecter. He is, in the present day, perfecting your faith. No matter where your faith journey is at today, Jesus is present, and he has been present this whole time, no matter how it might have felt. And every part of your life and your circumstances can have an impact on perfecting your faith, and Jesus can be present in that if you let him be. What do you need from Jesus today? The one who is making your faith complete, the one who is giving you the ability to persevere. What do you need from him today? What do you need to say to him to see that your faith is perfected and is growing, and that you're moving towards him? Open up yourself to the Lord. I pray that you find yourself honest with him, and that you find him to be very near to you. Peace.