Free to Run

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." NKJV

On numerous occasions this passage has blessed my life and I’m sure it is has done the same for many others; before our time and after we are gone.  It is so easy to get bogged down by the trials and busyness of life or weighed down by our own struggles, issues, hurts or discouragements.  One major weight can be self-condemnation.  We can condemn ourselves for feeling condemned and thus the vicious cycle continues. 

These weights can become so heavy that they can hold us back from moving forward in life with joy and peace.  They can also hinder us from experiencing the abundant life that God has for us and instead of enjoying life we can grow to despise it instead.  God knows our hearts and knows our needs and desires us to come to Him.

“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 12:1-2 –NKJV

Notice that sin is another hindrance, a heavy weight that can hold us captive.  This passage in Hebrews also says we are to lay it aside or lay it down.  Remove it from our Person so we can run the race that is set before us. 

I read a great article that talked about this passage and the author said he believed the race was not just a marathon but a relay race.  In a relay race one starts out with the baton and after so many feet he passes it to the next person and that person passes it to the next person and so on and so forth until the last person finishes the race. 

He put it in the perspective of our daily walk and how our lives are to be run with all our might so that we can pass it on to the next person; whether it is our children, our friends, family or neighbors.  It is a race that God has set before us, on a path that God determines and in order to participate at full speed we need to lay everything down that hinders us so we can be FREE TO RUN!   

“Casting all your cares upon him; for he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 - NKJV

God is standing by ready and able to take your burdens and give you His yoke that is light and easy so that you can run the race He has for you.  Come to Christ today and lay it all down so you can run your relay of victory with your eyes set on the prize, Heavenward in Christ Jesus.  READY, SET, GO!

Filoiann Wiedenhoff