Hebrews 12: 1-14 (part of “The Example of Jesus” chapter, NRSV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith…. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. Endure trials for the sake of discipline. …. Now discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. …. Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Devotion
My take on this passage has changed dramatically:
Childhood: Being part of “so great a cloud of witnesses” was a favorite Bible passage since I heard it in 2nd-grade Sunday School. As an only child, I tingled at the idea that Bible heroes mystically joined me, family, and friends through time. I ignored the context of trials, suffering, and discipline, only hearing a lyrical promise of support from superheroes greater than comic-book ones.
Young adulthood: Church plus college through post-graduate religious education re-focused me on the passage’s seriousness. Personal experience taught that everyone’s life contains hardships as well as beauty and joy. Seeking and spreading God’s truth is complicated, and those witnesses surround a race that is not a “walk in the park.” Its course is full of twists, intersections, and bad weather. Sometimes God’s presence is clear, no matter what good or bad directions I take. Sometimes I feel alone in a fog of self-doubt. Which races might I finish, let alone win? Am I lazy for not entering more races, or frazzled by undertaking too many? Do I race in the right direction with the right companions? Should I backtrack more often to help people who can’t keep up?
Older years: I once saw retirement as time for travel, new hobbies, a checked-off bucket list. Nope! I dropped some goals because of physical limitations, but others could satisfy self while serving others. At Lewinsville I feel a widening, not narrowing, of possibilities. But even this Lent’s simplification theme causes stress. Am I adding or subtracting wrong activities? Fretting over my huge job of decluttering instead of making new friendships and deepening old ones? Being active in too many activities without prioritizing the greatest needs for self and others? For the first time I notice Hebrews 12:14. Pursue PEACE? With everyone? That’s hard to imagine or to do. I’m standing in the need of prayer.
Prayer
Dear Lord, When we feel overwhelmed, lost, and helpless, thank you for the cloud of witnesses you provide. Thank you for the example of Jesus, who embodies human and divine ways of pursuing peace and love in all circumstances. When caught in the jumbled messes of everyday life, help us to choose the right races. Thank you for being with us always, even when we lose direction. Amen.
Carroll Leslie Bastian