A New Year to Run the Race of Faith

“…let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:1-2

Run the Race is our camp theme for 2024. As we look ahead, we wanted to share with few things from Hebrews 12 that we’re thinking about:

1. We don’t choose our race—it is set before us (v. 1). 
This is hard to swallow because we like to be in control. But God lovingly allows circumstances to make us more like Him. And that often happens through the difficulties in the race of faith. 

2. We can’t run the race on our own.
To run with endurance, we need Jesus and the encouragement of other believers (v. 1-2). We must prayerfully fight the sin that clings closely and anything that distracts or hinders our trust and obedience to God (v. 1). We need Jesus to help us love when we’d rather hang onto bitterness and unforgiveness, and to persevere when life feels unbearable. It’s in turning to Jesus in our weakness that teaches us to rely more fully on Him. 

3. We persevere by looking up. 
As long as our eyes are on our circumstances or failures with sin, the future seems dim and we will be prone to despair. Instead of looking back or letting sin weigh us down, we need to look up to Jesus (v. 2). He provides cleansing and forgiveness when we fail. We are clothed in His righteousness, not our own. Recalling what Jesus has done for us in the gospel encourages and motivates us when we grow weary (v. 3). He doesn’t condemn His children for their failures, but delights when we recognize our need, turn from our sin, and depend on Him. 

The race of faith is hard. It’s lifelong. But praise God, one day our faith will be fully perfected, and all the sorrow and difficulty we experienced will result in endless joy.

Praises

• For salvation—God rescuing us from the power of sin and death.

• That God has provided the power for us to run the race of faith with endurance,  giving us the desire to no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died for us.

• That God freely offers forgiveness when we acknowledge our sin to Him.

Pray For

• That God would enable you (and us!) to more deeply encounter the beauty of Jesus in Heb. 12, growing in your love for Him and perseverance in the race.

• For our 2024 guests to walk away with a fresh understanding of the gospel and a renewed desire to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus.

• For our speakers as they prepare to speak on the Run the Race theme.