Lay Aside the Weight

“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

In an entertaining story published by Yahoo! News yesterday, the writer said: Most marathon runners look for ways to stay cool and comfortable over 26.2 miles. David Rush took the opposite approach, completing the Idaho Potato Marathon while wearing 125 T-shirts and earning a Guinness World Record for the most shirts worn during a marathon. The record-setting run took place May 16 in Boise and was officially certified by Guinness World Records in July, Yahoo! reported.

Rush crossed the finish line in 5 hours, 54 minutes and 50 seconds, narrowly beating the event's six-hour cutoff. The Idaho resident said the challenge proved far more difficult than a traditional marathon because of the weight, restricted movement and heat generated by the dozens of layers...

Rush said the layers created intense pressure throughout the race, limiting his mobility and making it difficult to maintain proper running form. As temperatures rose and the miles added up, he battled overheating, exhaustion and discomfort while trying to stay ahead of the clock.

And, you know, as this story clearly illustrates, it's very hard to run a long distance race with extra weight.

It’s even harder to run the spiritual race with extra weight. This is the reason that Paul told us to “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.”

You see, in the same way David Rush was vastly slowed down and greatly hindered, immobilized, and caught up by the excess layers he had placed on himself (each one creating more pressure), you and I allow ourselves to be slowed down and weighed down by the hardships, temptations, distractions, sins (and it's consequences) and the worries of this world (among other things) that we place on ourselves by not keeping our eyes on Jesus. 

This is the very reason we would do well to remember that we can overcome the obstacles in our path in the same way the “great cloud of witnesses,” (those heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11) who have gone before us and now serve as examples to follow) did and can run with endurance until the end.

So, as you run the spiritual race set before you, track your progress my friend by regularly looking to see if there’s any sin, habit, attitude, or mindset that’s weighing you down or tripping you up. And then, do what you need to do to lay it aside so that you can make it to the finish line “ahead of the clock” and avoid being disqualified.

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that we have examples of the faith to follow when we feel as if we’re alone in our struggle against sin and in our efforts to not adopt the patterns of this world. Lord, help us to keep our eyes on Jesus as we remember that the witnesses made it to the finish line in the same way. It’s in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!