“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2a NLT)
Do you realize that every faith step you take is in the footprints of your Savior? In the verse above the word translated “initiates” means: “one that takes the lead in any thing and thus affords an example, a predecessor in a matter, pioneer; the author.” And the word translated “perfects” means: “one who has in his own person raised faith to its perfection and so set before us the highest example of faith.”
Jesus is the one who begins and ends all faith; He’s the initiator and finisher of not only the faith journey He walked, but the journeys of each person who places their trust in Him. He’s designed the “trail” of faith that each of us will walk and has walked it before us to make sure it’s exactly what we’ll need for us to become everything He’s designed us to become.
Please pay attention to the details of your journey. Remember that “accident?” That slip on the ice? The time the guy ran the stop sign and plowed into you? When you were so low and a person you didn’t know spoke words of encouragement to you, then “disappeared?” When you gave money to that lonely, forlorn looking person?
The beauty of heaven will be that we’ll finally see, from start to finish, what Jesus has seen all along. We’ll be able to see the completed puzzle and the magnificent “picture” the Lord has painted with the details of our life’s journey. The questions we’ve had will all be answered, and we’ll wonder why we ever had them in the first place.
But another exciting aspect of our homecoming will be the many faces that line the balconies of heaven celebrating our arrival. Why the celebration? Because each one will have a unique story of how our lives have intersected theirs in a positive way for Jesus. A kind word, a thoughtful gesture, a listening ear, a helping hand, something the Lord prompted us to do that we may have quickly forgotten, but He didn’t, and neither did they.
Through the Lord’s influence in our life, almost like a snapshot, the Lord revealed Himself to someone we encountered on our journey. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to enable them to add to the other “pictures” He’d given them that together gave them the courage they needed to yield their life and allegiance to Him.
We can’t imagine if we tried the number of “unknown” people the Lord has used our lives to influence positively for Him. You may think because you’re not a Pastor or leader your life hasn’t been used very effectively. Think again, my friend! Every detail of your life has meaning – for good or evil! The devil is in the details, but, thankfully, so is the Lord.
The smile you gave to the person in the grocery; the kind word you spoke to the checkout person; the bottle of water you offered to the person working at your house; your willingness to step up to help cover for a co-worker with a sick child…! The scenarios are literally endless of the ways the Lord has used your influence to bless someone for His sake. And that’s not to mention the many times you prayed before a meal at a restaurant, invited someone to church, or shared what you thought at the time was a miserable attempt to share the Gospel. Little is much when God is in it!
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 