Wednesday Open Heavens Devotional - Look Beyond The Bus Stop

                              
MEMORISE: For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:3.READ: Hebrews 12:1-3.
1.Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us 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 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 the throne of God. 3.For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

From Hebrews 12:1, we understand that a race has been set before us as Christians. We did not initiate the race, but our decision to follow Jesus Christ automatically signed us in as partakers. Moreover, this race is an unusual marathon. If you lack patience, you cannot run the race. If you want to run it like a spirit, you would only be wasting your time, because God will not redesign the race for you; rather, you are the one who needs to adjust to His programme. The Christian life is a process and not a single event. As a process, you are expected to move from one stage to another. You must be like a traveller who goes from one bus stop to another, continuing his journey until he reaches his final destination. In the course of the journey, you may be required to stop over at the bus stop of lack. This is meant to test your faith and ability to trust God for provision. No matter how long you stay there, never turn that bus stop into your destination. God may allow you to stop over at the bus stop of ridicule, to test whether you will continue the race in spite of belittlement. Those who overinflated egos and those who hold themselves in high esteem may have problems here. Do you know that some people have called off their trip to Heaven just because they were mocked, ridiculed and laughed to scorn? Never truncate your journey to Heaven because of any unpleasant experience encountered at any bus stop. The very Author and Finisher of this race also went through this bus stop. People mocked Him and seriously ridiculed Him, but He overcame it all with the weapons of prayer, patience and quietness, and he finally reached the finish line. He got to the end because He focused on the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). How you see the race that is set before you will definitely affect your attitude to it. While many people see what is before them as a worrisome race, Jesus saw the same as a joyous event. Therefore, one way you can run this race victoriously is by ignoring the challenges on the way and focusing on the rewards that await you on the other side. If your heart is on what you will receive in Heaven, you will not turn your bus stop into a destination by building a tent there. How are you handling this race? After the present unpleasant experiences comes the glorious, eternal experience of joy, awaiting you on the other side. Don’t miss out on it!

KEY POINT: If you do not focus on the silver lining at the end of the marathon race to Heaven, you will grow weary along the way.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : GENESIS 11-13 AND JOHN 12:9-26.