“BECAUSE OF THE JOY AWAITING HIM…”

HEBREWS 12:2 “…let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. 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.” 

                  I ran Cross Country in high school and though I wasn’t any good, I certainly knew what it took to BE a good runner. You had to build up your endurance by running and you didn’t run on smooth surfaces all the time. Many times we’d hit the road and run 5-8 miles up and down big hills and thru the country roads miles behind the school. At that time the races were on a predetermined course either on the school grounds or neighboring roads around the school. The races were 2.5 miles back in the early 70’s. You had to work very hard to achieve the stamina and endurance needed to win or for that matter, just finish the race. So when the writer of Hebrews talks about running the race God sets before us with endurance, I know exactly what he’s talking about.

                  And what about the ‘joy awaiting Jesus’ … what’s that all about. He knew He was going to be beaten to within an inch of his life and had just asked His Father if there was any way to take ‘this cup’ away from Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. Let us remember that He left that Garden having to be resolute regarding His fate. He wished to perform the Father’s will and not His own. Also remember, He was 100% human & 100% divine. Naturally the divine side won out, but not before the human side had its’ say.

                  Hanging on a criminal’s cross garnered a certain amount of shame, but Jesus totally disregarded the shame scripture says. Once He galvanized His own will to line up with the Fathers, He set Himself as a flint to go about the Father’s business. Without Christ’s blood there is no salvation … no forgiveness for sin. It had to be done this way, so Jesus acquiesced to the Father’s will and willingly endured that which no innocent man should have had to endure. And it says He did it joyfully, even resolutely, to save the souls of all mankind. What a mighty God we serve! Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His name & for His glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Bible used: Life Application Study Bible, New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishing, latest copyright is 2005.