Train with a Witness
It is certainly a unique time we are living in. I never would have imagined a month ago that I would be stuck at home, unable to visit local businesses, completely uncertain of what each new day will bring. It is tempting to forget that the Lord has ordained a time for every matter under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1) and trust Him with the many things that are unknown right now. But knowing that God does indeed always have a purpose, and that I am finding myself with much more time on my hands, what if we take this time that’s been given to us and use it to train?
We see Olympic athletes at their peak, at the moment of competition. We don’t see the immense amount of time they spend training. On average, Olympic athletes spend 4-8 years in training before they get anywhere near the podium. Paul tells us “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-26) We see this illustration again in Hebrews 12, where we are told to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). It is certainly hard to run a race when you haven’t been training. This call to run in Hebrew comes right after we are told of the many saints who have gone before us. This chapter is referred to as the “Hall of Faith” because these men and women are so well known through their stories throughout the Bible. From Abel to Moses, Sarah, to Rahab, we see example after example of men and women who lived by faith in an unseen, but well known God.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1). How do we walk in assurance in this time when everything seems so unsure? God has given us these men and women as examples of what it looks like. These faithful have not only gone before us, they are cheering us on! “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” (Hebews 1:1). As athletes have their coaches on the sidelines rooting for them, who of these faithful saints can you look to as your cheerleader as you run?
Can Abel encourage you to continue to give, even when you aren’t sure where your paycheck will come from next month? Will Noah help you conquer your fear of man, as you boldly do what God has asked you to regardless of ridicule? Will you trust God with your children as Abraham did, even as their educational future is uncertain? Will you follow the example of Rahab and risk your own safety to provide a way of escape for others? Will you learn from Moses and be willing to leave comfort and riches behind so God can use you to set people free? How will you train today so you will be ready to run tomorrow? Spending time to study the faithful who have gone before us will equip us to walk in the obedience that God calls us to today.
Each of these witnesses provides their own testimony to the greatness and goodness of God. What makes their stories so compelling is that each of them testifies to the power of our Savior. Each of them shows us what it looks like to fix our eyes on Jesus and trust in Him as we take that first scary step, “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 1:2).
If the past couple of weeks have taught me anything, it’s that everything can change in an instant. Am I ready to run? As things continue to change of the next few weeks or months, as the suffering around me increases, as my friends and neighbors lose their jobs and fear is running rampant, will I be a source of peace and encouragement? I may not know what tomorrow will bring, but I do know what my future holds, and that is a prize I am ready to run for.
