7/13/13- The Perseverance of the Church

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24)

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, (Hebrews 12:1)

Thoughts: The Christian life and the Church are not sprints- but long, winding, uphill and down marathons.  We are to be careful of the things that hinder our race- the things that weigh us down.  This will include unbelief and skepticism, along with distractions from being worried or overly-concerned with this world.
     Today I am in Atlanta getting ready to watch my daughter and son-in-law run a race.  I can remember the days when my wife and I ran races in Atlanta- but now we are not able to run.  Someone else has to run the race- the baton has been handed off to another generation.  Perseverance is not just individually making it through the sufferings and crosses of life.  Perseverance also means passing the faith on so that it perseveres and lasts into the next generation.  We have not done such a good job at this.  We have acted like baseball, football, dancing, school, work, money means more than faith- so our children do not see much reason for faith.  In fact, our children see churches bickering about policy, morals, the Bible, even the divinity of Christ in some cases- and they wonder why they should bother.  But just as we want to persevere in a marriage, we should want to not leave the church on her own either.  It is for our good and the church's good that we persevere in faith- and faith's practice, and teach our children to persevere in faith and the practice of faith (worship and witness).
    Our passage uses the words "great cloud of witnesses" it is "stadia" like a stadium of witnesses- looking down on us from heaven.  God (not just the NSA) is watching us, along with the angels and the saints who have gone on to the other side.  Let us persevere- and pass the faith on as well. 

Prayer: Lord, I am weak.  But increase my strength.  Help me to persevere, and the church to persevere as well.  Help me to finish the race and keep the faith. 

(Color run Atlanta, GA, USA)