THOUGHTS

SHORT, THOUGHT PROVOKING ARTICLES PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY.

All articles are written using the NKJV, unless otherwise noted! All articles are written by David Hicks, unless specified otherwise.

Our Turn!

Every year in various sports, those who have played the game with distinction are inducted into their perspective halls of fame. This always causes me to think of Hebrews the eleventh chapter. It is the chapter that some have coined “The Faith Hall of Fame”.

This chapter in Hebrews records such notables as: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses; just to name a few. Some are mentioned by name, while others are simply recorded by events they endured; but, note the conclusion at the end of the chapter:

Hebrews 11:39-40And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

This chapter exists for the purpose of encouragement. All these mentioned in this chapter demonstrated souls saving faith with only the hope of the promises they saw as the awaited the heavenly country (11:13-16).  But we have received something better; we have come to that heavenly Jerusalem (12:22). So, in the face of those who could display this kind of trust with only the view of hope; how much more then to those of us who have the promises???

The Hebrew writer has one simple answer to this question; “It’s our turn now!” – Note:

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

In this demonstrative instruction; we are given four distinct points


Surrounded by Witnesses.

The witnesses being spoken of here surrounding us are the “All Theses” of 11:39. In this we learn that not only are there those who are cheering for us to achieve the goal, but they are made up of those whose very lives embody what we need for success.


Discard the Weight.

 

We cannot possibly hope to achieve success by luging around excess weight. Just as runners train and lose the excess weight that will slow them down or cause them to fail, we must drop the sin that so easily snares us.


Run with Endurance.

 

This race is not a sprint, but an endurance race. It requires that we persevere with determination, all the while moving steadily on with an un-yielding attitude.


With an Eye on the Goal.

This is accomplished by looking to Jesus who has shown us the way, himself discarding the weight (Hebrews 4:15), and lasted to the end for us!


Hebrews 5:8-9 “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him”

Guess what brethren? It is our turn now! Will we be inducted?