Our goal as Christians should be to keep on 'treching' (treking) from the Greek 'trecho'. No, a trecho is not a Star Trek junkie. The Greek here in this passage really says 'let us continually or make it our habit to run.' I was watching Finding Nemo the other day with Jakob, and if you're slightly familiar with the movie, Dori keeps saying to Marlin "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming." Even though they face numerous trials along the way...shark attacks, a mine field of jelly fish, being swallowed by a whale and Nemo not being where he was supposed to be once they reached Sydney, they kept swimming. As a side note, thanks to my brother-in-law Tyler for pointing out the parallel of this movie to the Christian life which really came to light when looking at this passage in Hebrews. Christians...let us make our life style that of one that runs after the goal. No matter if we encounter trials along the way (which, as a side note, didn't James instruct us in the opening of his letter concerning how believers should view trials?) We must run after the goal.
But the question we probably ask ourselves is how? How do we run after the goal? Thankfully, Hebrews gives us insight to that as well. First, draw encouragement from the faithful followers, the faithful witnesses that surround us. Specifically, Hebrews lists example after example from the Old Testament of faithful examples that have run this race before and have attained the prize. Further, I don't think it is a stretch to say that we can look to others more mature in the faith to encourage us that surround us today, something along the lines of a mentor relationship. Mentors are not foreign to the New Testament, and the very Rabbi-Disciple relationship speaks of this very thing. It also seems to underscore the need to be surrounded with other Christians in true community (or fellowship if you prefer Christian slang.) At the end of chapter 10, before delving into the discourse on the faithful followers from the past, Christians are exhorted to not forsake the fellowship. It seems to flow with the thought.
Next, Christians are to cast off encumbrances and easily-entangling sin. Just a couple of things to say about this. First, too many times Christians settle for the good instead of striving after the best. This happens in so many ways, from settling for milk instead of maturity, to striving only for legalism instead of embracing grace. May we not forget that good is the enemy of the best in so many cases. Second, all sin, if left alone, is an encumbrance, a dead weight in the Christian life. Don't leave it alone...speak plainly about it, admitting it to God and leaving it behind. That's for sins plural, but if there is a sinful lifestyle issue, it needs to be checked along the race track, not to be picked up again. These things in our life create dead weight and make the race difficult to run. Runners and swimmers alike shave their bodies and wear tight-fitting outfits to make the least amount of resistance possible in the race. May we do the same in our lives, streamlining and simplifying that we may strive effectively after the goal.
Lastly, I've been speaking about this the entire time, and have yet to make mention of it...what is the goal? We hear all the time that we've got to keep the main thing the...main thing. But what is it? Hebrews tells us the goal, the prize that we strive after, the place where we have our focus is Jesus. Throughout the entire book, and this is an endeavor that I plan to study and flesh out, Jesus is portrayed as superior, the best, the pinnacle. Without demeaning anything else, Christ is portrayed as supreme. He is the goal, He is the point...He is the Main Thing.
Four questions of consideration:
Are you running the race at all?
What is slowing you down from running the race?
Are you drawing encouragement from faithful followers?
Is your life about you or Jesus?
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