Hebrews 12:1-3 Chapter 12 1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which 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 perfecter of `our' faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls.

A marathon is a taxing race. The runner must overcome muscle cramps, blisters, and the urge to quit. But each step reaffirms his commitment to keep going until he triumphantly crosses the finish line.

In many ways, this is what the Christian life is like. It’s not a fast sprint to heaven but a long, obedient marathon. There are obstacles that could cause us to stumble and burdens we need to lay aside so we can run unencumbered.

The one word that summarizes our earthly race is endurance. This term implies going through something difficult without quitting. It includes the concept of abiding under hardship with patient, sustaining perseverance. Christ hasn’t promised us an easy life. In fact, He told His disciples, “In the world you have tribulation” ( John 16:33 33 These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. ).

How can we keep going? The answer is to fix our eyes on Jesus, not on the hardships and obstacles in our life. He set the pattern for us by enduring the cross for the joy set before Him. To focus on the Lord, we must read the Scriptures. Then we’ll be able to see what He would have us do, how we’re to respond to various situations in life, which resources He’s provided to help us, and what He has promised us at the finish line.

The joy set before us includes an imperishable, undefiled inheritance reserved for us in heaven ( 1 Peter 1:4 4 unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, ) and an eternal weight of glory far beyond comparison to our earthly suffering ( 2 Corinthians 4:17 17 For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; ). But best of all, when we finally cross the finish line, we will enter into Christ’s presence to be with Him forever.

Bible in One Year: Job 26-30 Chapter 26 1 Then Job answered and said, 2 How hast thou helped him that is without power! How hast thou saved the arm that hath no strength! 3 How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom, And plentifully declared sound knowledge! 4 To whom hast thou uttered words? And whose spirit came forth from thee? 5 They that are deceased tremble Beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof. 6 Sheol is naked before `God', And Abaddon hath no covering. 7 He stretcheth out the north over empty space, And hangeth the earth upon nothing. 8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; And the cloud is not rent under them. 9 He incloseth the face of his throne, And spreadeth his cloud upon it. 10 He hath described a boundary upon the face of the waters, Unto the confines of light and darkness. 11 The pillars of heaven tremble And are astonished at his rebuke. 12 He stirreth up the sea with his power, And by his understanding he smiteth through Rahab. 13 By his Spirit the heavens are garnished; His hand hath pierced the swift serpent. 14 Lo, these are but the outskirts of his ways: And how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand? Chapter 27 1 And Job again took up his parable, and said, 2 As God liveth, who hath taken away my right, And the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul: 3 (For my life is yet whole in me, And the spirit of God is in my nostrils); 4 Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, Neither shall my tongue utter deceit. 5 Far be it from me that I should justify you: Till I die I will not put away mine integrity from me. 6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: My heart shall not reproach `me' so long as I live. 7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, And let him that riseth up against me be as the unrighteous. 8 For what is the hope of the godless, though he get him gain, When God taketh away his soul? 9 Will God hear his cry, When trouble cometh upon him? 10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty, And call upon God at all times? 11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God; That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal. 12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; Why then are ye become altogether vain? 13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty: 14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. 15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death, And his widows shall make no lamentation. 16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, And prepare raiment as the clay; 17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, And the innocent shall divide the silver. 18 He buildeth his house as the moth, And as a booth which the keeper maketh. 19 He lieth down rich, but he shall not be gathered `to his fathers'; He openeth his eyes, and he is not. 20 Terrors overtake him like waters; A tempest stealeth him away in the night. 21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth; And it sweepeth him out of his place. 22 For `God' shall hurl at him, and not spare: He would fain flee out of his hand. 23 Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place. Chapter 28 1 Surely there is a mine for silver, And a place for gold which they refine. 2 Iron is taken out of the earth, And copper is molten out of the stone. 3 `Man' setteth an end to darkness, And searcheth out, to the furthest bound, The stones of obscurity and of thick darkness. 4 He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; They are forgotten of the foot; They hang afar from men, they swing to and fro. 5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread; And underneath it is turned up as it were by fire. 6 The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, And it hath dust of gold. 7 That path no bird of prey knoweth, Neither hath the falcon's eye seen it: 8 The proud beasts have not trodden it, Nor hath the fierce lion passed thereby. 9 He putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock; He overturneth the mountains by the roots. 10 He cutteth out channels among the rocks; And his eye seeth every precious thing. 11 He bindeth the streams that they trickle not; And the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light. 12 But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? 13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; Neither is it found in the land of the living. 14 The deep saith, It is not in me; And the sea saith, It is not with me. 15 It cannot be gotten for gold, Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. 16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx, or the sapphire. 17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, Neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold. 18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal: Yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies. 19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold. 20 Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding? 21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the birds of the heavens. 22 Destruction and Death say, We have heard a rumor thereof with our ears. 23 God understandeth the way thereof, And he knoweth the place thereof. 24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, And seeth under the whole heaven; 25 To make a weight for the wind: Yea, he meteth out the waters by measure. 26 When he made a decree for the rain, And a way for the lightning of the thunder; 27 Then did he see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out. 28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding. Chapter 29 1 And Job again took up his parable, and said, 2 Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me; 3 When his lamp shined upon my head, And by his light I walked through darkness; 4 As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was upon my tent; 5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were about me; 6 When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured me out streams of oil! 7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city, When I prepared my seat in the street, 8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood; 9 The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth; 10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. 11 For when the ear heard `me', then it blessed me; And when the eye saw `me', it gave witness unto me: 12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that had none to help him. 13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: My justice was as a robe and a diadem. 15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame. 16 I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out. 17 And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth. 18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand: 19 My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch; 20 My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand. 21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. 22 After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them. 23 And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wide `as' for the latter rain. 24 I smiled on them, when they had no confidence; And the light of my countenance they cast not down. 25 I chose out their way, and sat `as' chief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners. Chapter 30 1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, Whose fathers I disdained to set with the dogs of my flock. 2 Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? Men in whom ripe age is perished. 3 They are gaunt with want and famine; They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of wasteness and desolation. 4 They pluck salt-wort by the bushes; And the roots of the broom are their food. 5 They are driven forth from the midst `of men'; They cry after them as after a thief; 6 So that they dwell in frightful valleys, In holes of the earth and of the rocks. 7 Among the bushes they bray; Under the nettles they are gathered together. 8 `They are' children of fools, yea, children of base men; They were scourged out of the land. 9 And now I am become their song, Yea, I am a byword unto them. 10 They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, And spare not to spit in my face. 11 For he hath loosed his cord, and afflicted me; And they have cast off the bridle before me. 12 Upon my right hand rise the rabble; They thrust aside my feet, And they cast up against me their ways of destruction. 13 They mar my path, They set forward my calamity, `Even' men that have no helper. 14 As through a wide breach they come: In the midst of the ruin they roll themselves `upon me'. 15 Terrors are turned upon me; They chase mine honor as the wind; And my welfare is passed away as a cloud. 16 And now my soul is poured out within me; Days of affliction have taken hold upon me. 17 In the night season my bones are pierced in me, And the `pains' that gnaw me take no rest. 18 By `God's' great force is my garment disfigured; It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. 19 He hath cast me into the mire, And I am become like dust and ashes. 20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not answer me: I stand up, and thou gazest at me. 21 Thou art turned to be cruel to me; With the might of thy hand thou persecutest me. 22 Thou liftest me up to the wind, thou causest me to ride `upon it'; And thou dissolvest me in the storm. 23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, And to the house appointed for all living. 24 Howbeit doth not one stretch out the hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help? 25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? Was not my soul grieved for the needy? 26 When I looked for good, then evil came; And when I waited for light, there came darkness. 27 My heart is troubled, and resteth not; Days of affliction are come upon me. 28 I go mourning without the sun: I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help. 29 I am a brother to jackals, And a companion to ostriches. 30 My skin is black, `and falleth' from me, And my bones are burned with heat. 31 Therefore is my harp `turned' to mourning, And my pipe into the voice of them that weep.