Lay Aside Every Weight
Good morning; thank you for joining us around God’s Holy Word! “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before” (Hebrews 12:1). After finishing the eleventh chapter of Hebrew; the “faith chapter” the writer reflects upon those who kept their faith in God (cloud of witnesses) and pressed forward in their pilgrimage looking for the city of God! As we press forward looking for that same city, my friend, as we continue on our pilgrimage in the world, remember we are just passing through. I don’t plan to stay here. Jesus said He “went away to prepare us a place.” I encourage to to “lay aside every weight” that is holding us back from running our race. Weight such as anger, jealousy, bitterness, grudges, hurts, pains of our childhood, etc… Many times our hurt human emotions become weights that hold us back in this race. If we hold on to this life’s hurts and pains, it becomes the “sin” that will easily beset us. My brother and sister, you have a race that is set before you, and I want to encourage you to Look “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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (v.2). Jesus has already experienced any hurt or pain that we are facing, He endured the cross, and He looked past the shame. He did not allow the human emotions to overtake His purpose in this life. You have a great purpose, and I pray for you this morning that you lay aside anything that will hinder your race with Jesus. Father, I pray this morning that we keep our eyes on the “author and finisher of our faith” that we will not be so easily distracted from the purpose you have created us for. Be Blessed in Jesus’ Name!