How to respond to the cheers from Heaven coming our way today
By Dean Collins
If you have ever worked in a turnaround situation or start-up business or ministry, you know you must be action-oriented if you hope to accomplish your mission. Success is not possible if you simply think and plan and never do anything. If you have led a team who takes on a big task or initiative, you value those who can execute plans and make things happen. Of course, we have all come to understand that nothing ever goes perfectly. Even the brightest and most action-oriented leaders make mistakes and must deal with setbacks out of their control. There’s always something to slow us down.
Keep moving forward
As Hebrews chapter 12 opens, the author encourages us to keep moving forward in faith on our kingdom mission. Chapter 11 reminds us of many ancient, God-appointed leaders who have gone before us. They too had interruptions, setbacks, sickness, famine, and sin that slowed them down from time to time. But all moved forward in faith to follow their God-assigned missions. We can name many other faithful followers who have joined the grandstands since this scripture was written. They are in Heaven, cheering us on. I believe every one of us can write down the names of faithful followers of Christ in our lifetime who have persevered and participated in God’s kingdom work.
Now it’s our time. It may have been your time for a while now, and if you haven’t stepped into your assignment, then it’s time to ask for direction so you can. Since we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, it is also possible there are areas in our lives we must surrender so we can embrace our calling. If it were too late, we would have been given different instructions. However, the writer of Hebrews tells us to lay aside every weight AND sin that clings so closely, and then run the race God has given us to run.
Embrace our calling
The “all have sinned quote” from Romans 3:23 means that every one of those names in chapter 11 had moments and possibly seasons of sin. We sometimes know the details, as in the case of King David. But in other cases we do not know the sins they confessed so they could move forward in obedience. But with the help of the Holy Spirit and godly spiritual advisers, we can identify our shortcomings, set our house in order, and embrace our calling.
Focus on Jesus
But if we are to follow Jesus and the teachings of scripture, one thing is certain. We cannot focus on our past mistakes. We must focus on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who endured the cross so we could be forgiven, restored, and able to take on our role in kingdom living and leading.
Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Jesus looked all of our shame in the eye and said, “Not today, not ever, I am done with you.” Jesus chose the joy of enduring his suffering—he bore the hostility of others and died for us—so that we would no longer be bound by sin and its shame but rather be equipped to endure whatever comes our way by his strength. Hebrews 12:3 agrees with the words of the prophet Isaiah that we can run and not grow weary because we have the power and the purpose of the resurrected Lord inside us.
The grandstand of Heaven is cheering your name today. Jesus has gone before us and paved our path. It’s time to lay down our sin, which includes all of our whining and complaining (which the Bible often calls grumbling and murmuring) and step into the kingdom work directly in front of us today!
Thank you, Lord, for the price you paid on the cross that we might be forgiven, restored, and now used by you in kingdom service. We surrender to you today and commit that by your strength we will step into every assignment you give us now and for eternity. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Hebrews 12:1-3 ESV
Photo by Jimmy Conover at unsplash.com
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