A Week of "Running the Race"

                   "Running the Race"

Hebrews 12:1-2  

          1."Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. 2. Looking unto JESUS, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of GOD."



                We talked about Paul, and the Olympian races that were so popular in the times of this writing. Then we made a Venn diagram on our chalkboard, comparing and contrasting Olympian races with the Christian race. The Olympian races included a foot race. There was only one prize. Only a certain group of people (trained athletes) could compete in Olympian races. On the other hand, in the race to Heaven, everyone is invited to be saved and "run." Everyone who finishes gets the reward (and the reward is eternal!! )
          

                Another evening, after talking about verse 1, we timed each child in a crab walk race, with the rest of us cheering on the sidelines. We timed them running with weight, and then they got to race without the weight. What a difference it makes!
  *compassed- surrounded........
  *beset-attacked from every side ......... (fun to demonstrate)
         

               Another night, Brandon got the children up on the treadmill. He set it on the very lowest pace, which is equivalent to a very slow turtle, and let one child walk while he talked to them about what "run with patience" means. The definition of patience in the Greek is cheerful endurance.  (This denotation is challenging to me- endurance is hard enough---but cheerful!!?) As the next child walked on the treadmill, B changed the speed and incline frequently, talking to them about how we must keep "running" whether life is moving quickly or slowly, whether it is hard or easy. Patience means never giving up!

                 I think the last night was the one where we all wrote a short story on a piece of paper. Once we had completed our story, we copied our first sentence on a second piece of paper. Next, we passed our unfinished story to the person on our right, and he/she added a sentence. Then on and on until each one of us had written a part of everyone else's story.  The stories written by the "group" were crazy!  They were funny and soooo different than what we had penned originally. Then B related the "Author and Finisher" part of the verse. God is the Author, He has a plan for the beginning, the middle and the end of our life's story. It is important to not just allow God to start our story, but to allow Him to finish it, or it will not look like He intended. 


                   I am always amazed. My hubby is so good at bringing the Bible "down home." I love watching our children begin to grasp the deep and magnificent things of God. And, I just try to keep up. :) There is so much to learn about God's truth.  Hope you can use some of these ideas, too!


   CHALLENGE: Lord, Please be the Author and Finisher of our faith, and help us endure, to the end, with cheerfulness. We are "looking unto" You, Jesus. Amen.

Disclaimer: The devotions/lessons recorded on this blog are an attempt to make "hiding God's word in our hearts" a fun and inspiring time in our home. Most of the posts are recorded by Amber, and are from her point of view, often referring to "B" or "Brandon," who is her hubby. :)