Run Light

“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.” Hebrews 12:1

Summer is great–no shoveling and sunny skies! Yet as I’m writing this, we are on our 13th day in a row of high humidity. I realize I am wired for cooler weather! The other day, as I sweated through a five second walk from the office to my car, I saw a guy running down the road. For fun. I can’t fathom it! You’ve seen the people that run for fun, too–heat, cold, sun, rain, whatever–they are out there. But what I’ve never seen is a guy out for a long run with a big backpack, or a rolling suitcase. It just doesn’t make sense. A smart runner runs light.

The Hebrews’ writer compares the Christian life to a race. In light of all of the faithful men and women who have gone before us (Hebrews 11), we need to keep running this race of faith. In order to do that effectively, we need to set aside everything that would keep us from serving Jesus Christ. Naturally, we think of sinful behaviors, which certainly hinder our effectiveness. But notice that he mentions sin separately (“and the sin which clings so closely”). This tells us that we all have things, good things, in our lives which hold us back because we make them more important in our lives than Christ. We all have to work. We all have families & friends. We all have responsibilities. However, when we make good things more important than Christ, He is dishonored. What do your priorities look like? Run light!

-Pastor Mike