It’s Our Story Too

Thoughts based on Highly Favoured, chapter 9:

You and I live out our own stories, right in the middle of God’s Big Story. That is where these verses put us. All around us, looking at us, are the great heroes of Hebrews 11, men and women of faith. They trusted God and saw him do amazing things, some wonderful, some very hard. In the distance, ahead, at the end of Hebrews 12, are the glories of the heavenly Jerusalem and the kingdom that cannot be shaken, which make every hard step worthwhile.

But here, now, we are not looking at the heroes of old, nor the kingdom that is coming. We are looking straight at Jesus, focused, stripped for action. He ran for joy, enduring the cross, pain and shame and rejection--for us. To bring us to faith and to see that we finish. We run to him, live for him, the long race of life. And we don’t give up. We keep going.

Reflect and discuss: 

Jesus starts your faith and makes it complete. How does that make you feel?

As you run life for God, is there a weight slowing you down or a sin tripping you up?

Are you feeling weary today, like giving up? Maybe some shame in your life makes following Jesus seem too hard?

Remember Jesus. He fought sin and won, for you and for me. Because we are his, he gives us deep joy and rich honour. Your story will have hard parts and good parts. But best of all, it is part of his story, and that means a glorious ending!

Tell him how much you are grateful to him, and how long and how hard you want to run for him.

If you enjoyed this content or want to hear stories about how God's covenant makes a difference in daily life in Africa, read the full book  by Stuart J. Foster, Highly Favoured: Our Powerful God's Covenant with You.