When it comes to running a race, the question that every athlete in the competition must answer is, “What is my motivation?” You see, it is the thing that motivates athletes that drives their entire performance during the race. For most, the prize for the first, second, and third place winner is their motivation. Some simply want to prove to themselves that they are capable of running said race. Others might seek to prove their athletic abilities to someone else. Keeping their eyes on their motivation will help them to run their race as best as they can and encourage them to keep going when they feel tired. When it comes to our race of faith, we must also consider what motivates us if we want to run our race well. It is our motivation that will keep us going with every step that we take.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us of what our motivation is in this race of faith in Hebrews 12. After encouraging us to run the race of faith God has called us to, he continued writing, “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (verse 2). What is our motivation for running the race of faith? It is Jesus, our Savior, who stopped at nothing to rescue us when we were lost in sin and “because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne” (verse 2). Our Savior and the hope of eternal life with Him motivate us to run our races well, and we must keep our eyes on Him. When our eyes are on Him and the eternal life we will spend with Him one day, we will run fast. We will endure difficulties and exhaustion, just as Jesus did when He ran His race to save humanity, keeping His eyes set on the defeat of sin and death and the salvation of all who place their faith in Him. As we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will remain focused and stay on course. After all, nothing compares to Him and the eternal life we will spend with Him one day.
Maybe today you need a reminder to keep your eyes on the treasure awaiting you at the finish line: Jesus Himself and eternal life with Him. One day, when you finish your race of faith, you will experience life with Him that will never end if you have placed your faith in Him. As your race ends, He Himself will welcome you at the finish line. What a wonderful day that will be! Until that day, keep your eyes on Him, focusing solely on the joy awaiting you when He welcomes you into His presence as you enter into eternal life with Him forever one day.
One way to keep your eyes on Jesus is to worship Him alongside fellow followers of Christ at church. Make plans to join us at one of our weekend services, and bring a friend. We can’t wait to see you there as we set our minds and hearts on Him in worship together.
Prayer Prompt: Use this prompt to guide you as you pray.
“God, you are the only One worth focusing my heart and mind on. I praise You for…”
1Therefore, 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, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”
