Surrounded

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:01, NKJV).

Even in our imperfection, we are not alone. And by imperfection, I mean incompleteness.

You see, the last verse in Hebrews Chapter 11 reveals to us this truth: believers before and after Christ will be made perfect (complete) by the same trifold promise of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, an eternal inheritance, and eternal life.

That completion enables us to reap the benefits of our fellowship with the Father through faith in His Son, thus realizing all the superior aspects of Christ over anything and everything that could be conceived of or experienced before or after His incarnation, death and resurrection. That superiority of Christ is the overarching theme of this brief exhortation we know as Hebrews.

Not only are we never alone, but we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, but who might these witnesses be?

George Mueller, that famous Christian founder of English orphanages in the 1800's, who died after nearly a century of prayer-filled life, believed that the witnesses were comprised of those saints (believers) who had died and gone into glory.

Others posit that these are the holy angels who, the Apostle Peter tells us, desire to look into that great salvation revealed by the Holy Spirit and bestowed upon sinful man (1Pe 1:12).

Still others teach the witnesses are the personified acts of the faithful, precisely like those chronicled in Chapter 11.

My view: there is nothing scriptural that prohibits all three interpretations at once, with the bottom line being we are surrounded by all that we need to live godly in this Fallen World.

This then acts as encouragement, exhortation and conviction to put down that which hinders and entraps, so that we may take up the race of faith.

In this regard it must be noted that there are behaviors and attitudes which, though not sin in and of themselves, become for some Christians weights that slow them down in the quest for the finish line. These cause stumbling in the life that is lead from faith to faith, and which strives to end in faith; the very thing exampled in Chapter 11 repeatedly.

What are some of these things? The real answer is that what is a weight for one Christian may not be the slightest burden for another. God is clearly a God who values individuality, from snow flakes to finger prints to retinal patterns. Each of us are hand-crafted masterpieces by the Supreme Artisan, and each is meant to fit perfectly as members of the Body of Christ. 

This means that what may be a stumbling block for me, is an unnoticed hurdle effortlessly cleared by you. Nevertheless, the underlying common characteristic of these weights is that they cause distraction or loss of focus to those for whom they act as hindrances. 

Therefore the weight is anything and everything in an individual's behavior, attitude or habitual thinking that turns his or her attention to self and away from Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

The antidote is to constantly examine your priorities and habits and discard them or realign them as often as necessary to the revealed will of God for your life. Note too, that weight in this regard is an individual conviction, not a general doctrine. 

My weight may be your anchor to reality, and while you may be able to counsel and encourage me in such matters, by definition you may not judge me because of them, but rather come alongside and gently help me discard them.

Sin, on the other hand, is a different matter entirely. It serves not merely as a hindrance but a trap, which, if not ruthlessly dealt with, becomes an inescapable snare. Unforgiveness, sexual sin, covetousness, pride, selfishness, hatred, envy, murder, strife, deceit, and evil-mindedness are just a few of the snares that prevent living a godly life of faith. For those who need lists, look here: Ro 1:28-32; Ga 5:19-21.

Simply put, when ensnared by sin you cannot move forward, let alone run with endurance. Instead you are stopped dead in your tracks, an easy target for temptation, discouragement, and bitterness, all leading to a tightening of the bindings holding you in place.

The remedy here is to confess your sin, and repent - to turn away from ungodliness and toward God. You cannot accomplish this in your own strength, but the first baby step must be yours. You must see your sin for sin and despise it in yourself, understanding that there is never a justification or excuse in regard to sin, only repentance.

By laying these things aside, Christ within you (part of the priceless promise) will enable you to run the race with endurance, meaning He will ensure that you cross the finish line no matter what treachery, betrayal, or hardships you face along the way. 

Consider and remember these marvelous words:

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38, 39, NKJV).

And,

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Philippians 1:3-6, NKJV).

Do not lose heart or grow weary in doing good, and you will receive the Crown of Life, and inherit all that Christ has promised.

You can take that to the bank.

Weightlessness

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1, NKJV).

Weightlessness

I have been thinking about this verse all day, and cataloging those weights which I have such a hard time laying aside. The list is long and, well, weighty, and I am frankly getting too old to carry it. I've got spiritual tendonitis, or something, on the way to metaphysical hernia. Maybe it's time I just obeyed and laid the damned things down!

One of the most absolutely incredible truths about following Christ is that He wants us to STOP relying on ourselves and be dependent on Him working in us and through us.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV).

How much of a blockhead do you have to be to ignore this gentle encouragement?

"Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience." (Hebrews 4:11, NKJV). Read that one again! Be diligent, STRIVE, to enter His rest lest you FALL into disobedience! Self-reliance is a guarantee of rebellion. To borrow an overused phrase these days, when you or me take the wheel of our lives we end up in a ditch. Simple.

But even writing these things makes me squirm. You mean Lord, you want me to relinquish control? To leave it all up to You? Where do I draw the line between trust and irresponsibility?

He answers unequivocally in His Word. To paraphrase countless texts: Yes, relinquish control! It's an illusion anyway. Can you add one cubit to your stature? Can you make one hair white or black by nature?

Yes, leave it up to Me! I have ALL power and authority over EVERYTHING! All flesh. All principalities and powers. Height. Depth. Width. Breadth. All things living, dead, past, present and to come! To whom else will you go?

I draw the lines of your life. I will lead you in paths of righteousness and diligence and enable you to bear your burdens and carry out your responsibilities. I will strengthen you to do all necessary things. I AM the One who knows the number of the hairs on your head, Who knit you together in your mother's womb, Who knows the number of your days before there was yet any! I AM your exceedingly great reward. I AM your rearguard. I AM the One Who fights for you! I AM your strong tower. I AM the one Who gave Himself for you.

How much of a blockhead do you have to be NOT to gratefully, lovingly, trustingly and joyfully allow the Great I AM to BE all that you require? You have to be as much of a blockhead as I am.

You have to hold onto the things in this world and not realize that by NOT letting go you are being dragged down. Whatever those things are; sin, reputation, health, strength, looks, wealth, popularity, power, prestige, family, friends, your own self-image - ALL these things are weights that prevent you from running the race of life with endurance. The good things are not really yours anyway. None of them! They are His gifts to you. And you, beloved, have been bought with a price. You are the joy that was set before Him.

Think about this too. No matter how hard you try to maintain, you WILL go the way of all flesh if He does not come back for His church before your days are fulfilled and you are gathered to your people. Your strength will fail. Your skin will dry. Your loved ones will depart from you or you from them. Your days will weigh upon you like a ton of bricks applied one by one until you cannot proceed one more step, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH.

He wants us to know these things, beloved, so that we can become weightless from the cares of this world. Free from the thorns and rocks that choke our growth. Do you have a worry? He beseeches us to throw them at His feet because He cares for us. Are you afraid? He is our Helper, what can man or the world do to us? Do you despair? His greatest desire is that His joy remains in us, and that our joy may be full. He became one of us for that very purpose, and died on the Cross in our place. What has that human being you are striving so hard to impress done for you, eh?

Look, I am as thick as you. Likely thicker. The weight of this world has, at times, almost crushed me beyond repair. Just like you. I have held onto things with a death grip that had I just let go, would have freed me to live a life of joy and satisfaction beyond anything I could ask or think. That weight is as familiar to me as the age spots on the back of my hand, and just as useless.

Purpose in your heart this very moment to simply obey. And rest, and peace and joy will be yours without even asking. That is Who He is. That is what He desires for His children. That is why He made us and redeemed us. His grace changes everything!

It's going to happen one way or the other, beloved. If you are His, You will either come to Him bowed done under the weight of this life only to discover He longed to joyfully carry it with you and for you. Or you will come to Him freed from those burdens after having served Him with unspeakable satisfaction all the rest of the days of your life, come what may. You choose. He has already made His decision clear.

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15:16, NKJV).