The Race that Is Set Before Us - 08-18-19

Ian Reed Twiss Sermons

Part of Hebrews' point, expressed in the phrase let us run the race that is set before us, is that each of us has a different race set before us. Some have better weather and fewer hills and injuries than others. Some have faster bodies and some have more endurance. Who can say why? It's one of the great mysteries of life, that some die young, that some suffer more, that some are born into easy circumstances and some into hard. Hebrews doesn't explain that mystery. The race itself is what it is. Our text merely affirms that there are good and faithful people, beloved children of God, who've run every kind of race on this earth.

In fact, Hebrews reminds us, those people are the supportive spectators cheering us along at our own race. Whichever course is set before us, whatever anguish or joy may meet us along the way, the witnesses are there. Those who ran well, those who struggled. Those who had easy courses, those who didn't. Those in our lives who passed into the sidelines recently and those who did so long ago. All of them are there around us in this great cloud of witnesses as we toil up the hills and pound down the long, hot straightaways and stumble toward the finish. They are calling out to us, "Keep it up," and "You can do it," and "Come on, gut it out!" There they are with Jesus, surrounding and upholding us. And faith reminds us to remain open to their presence, to draw inspiration from their example, to call on them for strength when our own is failing.

For more information about the life of the church where this sermon was preached, find our website at www.holycrossnovi.org or our facebook page under the name “Holy Cross Episcopal Church.” Or join us for worship, Sunday mornings at 8:00 and 10:00 at 40700 W. Ten Mile Road, Novi, MI 48375.