Running to Jesus

When I was thirteen years old, I once ran a mile in 6:15. That may sound fast, and it was fast for me, but there are plenty who are much faster. Yesterday, I decided that I needed to get back in shape. It wasn't raining, so I decided to go for a run. I ran a mile in 9:20! I was ashamed of my time. Granted when I was running at 13 I was about 5'11" and 140lbs (that's 10st), now I am 6'3" and 240lbs (17st 2lb). That's 4 inches extra and 100lbs extra!

Today I decided to go for another run. My time today was 8:19! Why was my time so drastically different? I am no authority on running, but here's what I think. Yesterday, I didn't know how far I was going to run. I figured I would run for a bit. When I hit a mile I was absolutely done. I thought maybe I would run anywhere from one to two miles. Today I had determined to run the one mile. The difference was over one minute improvement in my time.

This time my goal was set and my course was clear. I knew where I was running and what my goal was. I began to consider Hebrews 12:1-2 which says:

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

There are a number of things that could be brought out of this passage which, as a runner would improve your running time, but more importantly, as a Christian, strengthen your pursuit of Jesus. Let's briefly look at five things.

1. Laying aside every weight - a weight is something that slows you down. It isn't necessarily something that is not allowed, but rather not helpful. A runner in a race is free to run wearing wet blue jeans and combat boots along with a winter parka. However, he will find himself quickly exhausted because all his stamina is diverted to carrying these weights. As a Christian there are things that are not necessarily sin, but are also not helpful in my walk with God (1 Corinthians 6:12).

2. Laying aside the sin - distinct from mere weights, these are things that the Bible reveals as sin and are not just unhelpful, but rather detrimental. These are those things that trip us up in the race and can keep us from ever finishing (Galatians 5:1).

3. Run with endurance - the Christian life is not a short sprint, but rather a lifelong marathon. To endure means to push through the pain. We are not to quit just because we are running up hill or over rocky terrain. We are to continue our course (Matthew 10:24).

4. Run the race that is set before us - there are many other courses in life that one can run, but only Jesus is the Way (John 14:6). We need to run where God has directed us to run and allow His Word to be a light to our feet and a lamp to our path (Psalm 119:105).

5. Looking unto Jesus - we keep our eyes on the goal and the goal is Jesus. There are many things that want to distract our gaze, but we need to keep our eyes on the reason we run. We run to Him. The way I ran yesterday, I was uncertain as to what my goal was and this made my race more difficult than it needed to be. It was exhausting either way, but with our eyes on the goal, we run better. It was because Paul had his mind fixed on Jesus who was his goal that he said, that this race of life was a momentary light affliction compared with the glory of the eternal goal (2 Corinthians 4:17). At the end of his life he could say that he finished the race (Acts 20:24; 2 Timothy 4:7).

Let's pursue Jesus!

photo courtesy of Brad Peters Photography.

Are You Known in Hell?

I was meditating this morning in Acts 19. Paul is in Ephesus preaching Jesus and some Jewish exorcists show up on the scene.

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirits answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" (Acts 19:13-15)

As I was reading the passage I remembered a book I read a while back by Leonard Ravenhill called Why Revival Tarries. In this book he has chapter called Known In Hell where he references this passage.

These exorcists attempt to cast out a demonic spirit from a man by the "Jesus whom Paul preaches". The demon then replies "Jesus I know, and PAUL I KNOW, but who are you?". The point that Ravenhill makes is Paul as a soldier of Jesus Christ was a threat to hell and thus was known in hell. Does the devil view you as a threat to his schemes? Ravenhill says, "Paul no longer wrestled with flesh (neither his own nor any other man's); he wrestled 'against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world.' Does that shed any light on why this demon said, 'And Paul I know'?"

It's good to be a nuisance and a threat to hell. It's good to storm its gates, giving those who are lost the everlasting Gospel. I desire to be known in hell.