Travel Light
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).
Reflecting on the above verse, I am encouraged that we are not alone in this race but that there many others have gone ahead of us and they are witnessing every step that we take, they too took their journey. The success of those who are now a cloud of witnesses, gives us strength to know that we too will make it just as they did, they cheer us on wishing us a victorious finish. Our Lord Jesus Christ also took His race and completed it on the cross when He declared, “it is finished” (John 19:30).
Brethren, we have a race to take individually and collectively, each keeping to his lane with the goal to reach the end, we all look forward to hearing our Father say, welcome home, good and faithful servant. That is our hope in our walk of faith, a hope which gives us strength yet also lets us know that we must remain faithful through this journey despite the road bumps that we face. Jesus gave His disciples instructions when He sent them out two by two (Mark 6:7-9). He gave them power to cast out evil spirits and also told them not to carry much for the journey but to travel light. This is physical weight and one would argue that since they were travelling on foot, they could not carry much. I however lean to the understanding that this instruction went beyond the physical and applies also to the spiritual angle of our lives. What we carry in our spirits and souls is eventually what comes out of us, we know the verse that our mouths speak what we have kept in our hearts (Matthew 12:34). The feelings of our hearts and the thoughts of our minds are all expressed in our speech, others learn who we are by what we speak. Our words are a ground to understand what we are carrying in our hearts (Luke 6:45). Our hearts can carry grudge, complaints, anger, bitterness etc, or, we can carry joy, peace, love, gratitude etc. and whichever we carry is what we give our strength and expression to.
Beloved, may we be found to give our strength and attention to that which is true, just, lovely, pure and of good report (Philippians 4:8). When we do this, we will travel light in faith even as we are reminded that we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16). May our light not be crowded by baggage in our hearts which will not only dim it, but also slow and distract us from our race. Pastor Jabu Hlongwane of South Africa has sung “Keep Me True”; and reminds us that there is a race to run and victories to be won. May we be true to our hope and calling by the power of the Holy Spirit. Travel light.
Thoughts:
Where are you in your race of faith?
How well are you keeping to your lane?
What baggage might you need to drop?