June 1, 2019 -- Hebrews 12:3-4, 12-14 -- The Christian Marathoner

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:3-4; 12-14 ESV

In the 1968 Summer Olympics, held in Mexico City, runner John Stephen Akhwari, of Tanzania, came in last in the marathon. In fact he entered the stadium, where the final 400 yards would be run on the oval track, one hour later than the first place runner. It was obvious that Akhwari was spent. You can find a video of this on the internet. When you watch it you’ll see his faintness. His legs wobble. His arms hardly have the strength to pump and propel him forward. The stands are almost empty. He seems to gain a slight second wind that gives him just enough endurance to cross the finish line. It isn’t pretty. There are no fist pumps and jumping chest bumps.

He could have stopped. In fact, it has been reported he was told to stop by those who saw his weakened condition. After the race he was asked, pointedly questioned by one of the reporters: “Why didn’t you just quit?”

Akhwari: “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race.

My country sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.”

Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ—we are not just to start the race of faith—we are called in Jesus Christ to finish the race. We will be spent. It will cost us every ounce of energy, all our stamina and will-power. We will be stripped of everything we think is important. Yet we are to look to Jesus—the Author and Perfecter of our Faith. We are to consider how Jesus suffered such hostility and rejection and yet He endured. Know that this same Jesus, Who endured and by His perseverance took away the punishment for our sins and took away the sting of death, consider Him and press on. He is our goal. He is our peace in the chaos of the Christian marathon.

Our Christian faith is not an easy victory lap around a track where a stadium full of encouraging fans cheer wildly and stomp their feet. Our Christian faith is anchored in Jesus Christ. It is lonely. Often those who see us shake their heads and think: “Just quit already.” When we stumble across the finish line it will be Jesus Who receives the credit and honour. Our legs will cramp. Our breath will be ragged. It will be Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation and the Hero of our Faith Whom we then will seek out so that we can see His face.

The odd expressions in verse 13 need a quick explanation. It can read: “make straight paths for your feet” or “keep your feet on the straight paths”. It is easy for a weakened, fainting runner to go off course. And if you go off course, you can imagine twisting your ankle as you traverse the uneven terrain. What keeps you on track and running? Consider Jesus. Look to Jesus. At your lowest moments, when weakness or your own sinful temptations would cause you to go off track or stop running altogether—look to Jesus. He alone is the strength of your life and hope of your heart Who alone can give you the second wind you need.

Jesus, Hero of our Faith, the race is hard and takes more strength and endurance than any of us have. We need the breath of Your Spirit, to revive our drooping hands and steady these knees so they stop knocking, so that we can continue in the marathon of our Christian faith. Thank You for the fellow runners You have put into our lives who encourage us, and will not leave us behind. In the bursts of energy and in the times of weakened plodding, in our thoughts, in our lives, be glorified. Amen.