run!

Hebrews 12:1-3

There are three exhortations in this section: let us throw off whatever hinders, let us run the race with perseverance and consider Jesus. All three flow out of the fact that there is a great cloud of witnesses who have a vested interest in our success. The author has indicated that the promise they were pursuing all their lives is only attained together with us. After talking about the faith of all these spiritual ancestors, the author return the focus of the book squarely back on Christ: fix your eyes on Jesus... consider him.
Chapter 11 does not take the focus off of Christ but backs up and takes the longer view: remember Abel? He was looking forward to the Seed. Remember Abraham? He was looking forward to the Blessing. Everything that the people of faith were building their lives on was anchored in Christ, the Seed promised to Eve and the Blessing promised to Abraham. So, even though the author is celebrating the faith of these people, everything is still centered on Christ.
The author calls the reader to have the same focus. In this case because Jesus provides an example and hope for those who are going through persecution. He endured the cross because he was focused on the joy set before him. The author calls the reader to consider his example so the reader won't grow weary and lose heart.
It's amazing to me how, right in the middle of trials and difficulties, my focus turns inward to myself. This is a good challenge to me. First, get rid of anything in my life that doesn't help me be the person that Christ has called me to be. This is easy to say but hard to do: do the tv shows I watch need to go? Is the music I listen to helping or hindering? Secondly, focus on Jesus. Consider his trials, his persecution, his death and his joy. I need to raise my eyes above the circumstances and see Jesus.