Lifejournal: Eyes to Jesus

S: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 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, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

O: The writer of Hebrews groups together weight and sin-that our sin is our obstacle. Sin is baggage. It weighs us down in our race (I see that the writer also describes our life as a race just as Paul does) towards Christ. Sin is acknowledged to be clingy-it sticks to us unless we are to pointedly lay it aside (in repentance) and strive for our prize-which is to be with Christ.

This passage further confirms my last statement-that we are to affix our gaze upon Jesus in order to run vigorously. There would not be sufficient reason to cast off sin and "run with endurance" if the end result were merely a place of happiness or an avoidance of Hell.

However, to look upon Christ - and to see how he thought little of the shame, how he lovingly and joyfully accepted his task, and how he carried it to completion-to be with that person ought to be our greatest hope in this life and the life to come.

A: Sin is a weight-it drags me down in so many circumstances. It runs my life at times and I fear that it dulls my heart. But to take in the word and meditate upon it will teach me to hold fast to commands. I must pray because I cannot by my own strength or will overcome myself-knowing that God's will for me is to abide in Christ, he will overcome sin today as much as he did long ago upon the cross. This spiritual life will grow mundane and wearisome if my eyes are not upon Christ-I will seek him through all of these things. In the end, it is not about battling sin or being disciplined-those things will come about if I fix my eyes upon Jesus.

P: