We sing in a well-known song, “And then one day, I’ll cross the river. I’ll fight life’s final war with pain. And then as death gives way to victory, I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives”. What a blessed living hope we have.
Let us read a verse from Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Jesus endured the cross and the hostility of sinners against Him. In all 33 and a half years of His life, Jesus endured the cross. He did this for us; to save us. In Isaiah 53:3-8 we read how Jesus was despised and how he suffered for us. How could Jesus endure the cross without any complaint or murmur? In Hebrews 12:2 we read that he set His eyes on the joy set before Him. Jesus knew that there was a great joy that the Father had set before Him. Jesus didn’t focus on His sufferings or difficulties but on the joy set before Him. Jesus looked forward to sitting at the right hand of God and giving each of us eternal life. In John 3:16 we read that Jesus came so we can have eternal life. In Hebrews 2:10 we read that Jesus was able to bring many sons to glory. This was the joy that Jesus focused on. This is an encouragement for us also that there is a great joy set for us also.May this motivate us to live for the Lord – there is a joy set before us. One day when we meet our Lord, we will be like Him and we will be with Him forever. God will tell us on that day – enter into the joy of the master. (Mathew 25:21) Oh! What a wonderful day that will be. Focusing on the joy set before us, we need to live in this world.
In Hebrews 12:2 we see that God has set a race before us. We have to finish our race by focusing our eyes on Jesus.Jesus said on the cross “it is finished” ( John 19-20). He has finished the race, now He is our forerunner so we can also finish our race victoriously fixing our eyes on Him .In 2 Timothy 4:7, 8 we read, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” All who have loved the Lord’s appearing will have the hope that Lord will give them the crown of righteousness. This is the living hope. In Hebrews 12 we read that we need to run the race by laying aside all things that hinders us. Let us focus on finishing this race that is set before us. When we have the joy in our heart, we will count everything in this earth as temporary and will reject the passing pleasures of sin. Hebrews 11:25 we see that Moses rejected the passing pleasure of sin. In 2 Cor. 4-17 we read “our present troubles are small and won’t last very long .Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever.”
In Hebrews 11:10 we read of Abraham that he was looking for a city whose architect and builder was God. We also read from verse 14-16 of how those who died in faith sought for a heavenly country. But in the last verse of the chapter we see how God has prepared something better for us. It is after this that we are encouraged in Chapter 12 to fix our eyes on Jesus, lay aside all entangles of sin, look at the joy set before us and finish the race. If we have the eternal joy in our life, we can live a wonderful life on this earth.
We know the story of the Pilgrim’s Progress –the journey of the Christian towards the Celestial city. Throughout His journey, the Christian had many troubles and trials but he endured and reached his finishing point. His focus throughout the journey was to finish the race and attain the joy the Lord had kept for Him. We know how a woman who is expecting a baby looks forward to the day she can hold her baby in her hands. Looking forward to that joy, she forgets all the difficulties, hardships and pain she has to go through. She knows that after the pain, she can see the newborn baby and hold the baby in her arms. Her focus is not on the sufferings, but the joy set before her. Let us also look towards this joy and live a victorious Christian life. This is God’s will for us.
Let us read a verse in 1 John 3:2,3 “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” When we have this hope, we need to purify ourselves just as He is pure. God wants us to experience this life on this earth – by fixing our eyes on Jesus. May God bless us all.
