NOVEMBER 5, Hebrews 12:1

Maria frantically searched through her closet and dresser drawers. “Mom?” she called. “I don’t know what I did with my running shorts, and I need them for the race tomorrow.”

“What’s going on?” asked her older brother Zach, as he stepped into the room. “Have you seen my running shorts?” asked Maria, her head still in the closet.

Behind Zach came little Sammy, who picked up a pair of jeans from the bed and said, “Here!” Zach took them from him and held them out to Maria. “Wear these.”

“I can’t wear those, Zach!” replied Maria angrily. “You know perfectly well that I can’t run in them!”

“You probably could if necessary,” said Mom as she came into the room with clean laundry, “but when we race, guys, we don’t want any extra weight.” Mom patted the neatly folded running shorts on the top of the stack of clothes. “I washed these for you, along with my own. Shall we get them on and go practise?”

“Yes, thanks.” Maria grinned sheepishly as she recalled putting the shorts in the laundry basket. “My coach at school says that on the day of the race we should put everything else out of our minds and give of our best!”

“That’s good advice,” agreed Mom. “It’s like the advice the writer of Hebrews gives.” “The Bible gives advice for running a race?” asked Zach. “I didn’t know that.”

“The Apostle Paul refers to the Christian life as a race,” Mom explained. “He refers to sinful things as ‘weights’ in our lives and urges us to put them aside. The weight of any sin - such as a half-truth, a bitter spirit, or an impatient attitude - will keep us from doing our best in our life-race.”

“Oops!” exclaimed Maria. She patted Zach’s arm and leaned toward him. “I’m sorry for being irritable when you came in, brother!” “Okay,”Zach said, backing out the door. “Just don’t kiss me! Come on, Sammy. Let’s go!” Maria just laughed merrily.

Thought: Are you a Christian who’s running your life-race free of the weight of sin?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me confess my sins and seek Thy forgiveness, so that I may run my Christian race without hindrances. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.