The Race

Hebrews 12:1 NIV: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

What part of it jumps out to you when you read that verse? There are quite a few areas to reflect on. Let’s examine this in reverse, which is how I worked on this artwork. First, the race. You may find it interesting that the word in Greek here, agon, is the root of the English word agony. It means a struggle, grueling conflict, effort, or anxiety. Yes, a race can be all those things, but Paul is actually talking about the struggle of simply living. We’d like to think we have a smooth, easy path ahead of us to walk till the end of life, but reality suggests otherwise. Our path before us is riddled with obstacles, crises, loss, illness, worries, and even agony. Paul is giving us wisdom on how to travel the path with perseverance. The Greek word for perseverance means not only steadfast or enduring but cheerful or hopeful endurance. How is this even possible? Two suggestions are included here. We must throw off or cast away everything that hinders us. The Greek word is ogkos, which means bulk, protuberance, mass, burden, or weight.

In the piece, I used luggage to illustrate things that weigh us down from moving forward in our journey. What could these symbolize for you? Here are a few things I thought of: Past trauma, regrets, defense mechanisms, fear, unworthiness, depression, envy. We try to bring so many things with us that encumber our walk. Paul says to lay it down! Second, we need to get rid of sin that entangles us. The word entangles in Greek is defined as well planted all around, thwarting in every direction, and ensnaring. I pictured this as vines and ropes that trap our progress, causing us to stumble. What might these be in your life? So often, we hear the word sin and think of “big” things like murder or stealing. But I can think of many things that entrap and ensnare that are sin: Pride, deceit, hatred, jealousy, injustice, slander. I know that if I could finally put my ego to rest, my path would be much easier to walk. I depicted the woman using a weed killer and sheers to help cut away the entanglements of sin. Specifically, what are the ways you use to free yourself of sin? Spiritual practices, prayer, accountability, confession, scripture, and the Holy Spirit come to mind as my “sheers.”

There is one more thing Paul mentions in this verse that is meant to encourage us on this (at times) agonizing journey. He says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. He used the word cloud, which conjures images of those who have left this earth. Who do you envision is cheering you on from the other side? We also get encouragement from people around us in this life. I put a crowd of tiny people up on the mountaintop to signify this. I immediately have faces and names come to mind as being instrumental in casting off baggage and helping me kill those binding vines. They have made my journey immeasurably better. Hopefully, you, too, can think of cheerleaders who keep you going and moving forward!