From J. C. Philpot's Daily Portions
October 1 "Therefore seeing we also are compassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us." Hebrews 12:1 Every fervent desire of your soul after the Lord Jesus
Christ; every inward movement of faith, and hope, and love toward his
blessed name; every sense of your misery and danger as a poor, guilty, lost,
condemned sinner, whereby you flee from the wrath to come; every escaping
out of the world and out of sin for your very life, with every breathing of
your heart into the bosom of God, that he would have mercy upon you and
bless you--all these inward acts of the believing heart in its striving
after salvation as a felt, enjoyed reality, as the prize of our high
calling, are pointed out by the emblem--"running the race set before us."
The Christian sees and feels that there is a prize to be
obtained, which is eternal life; a victory to be gained, which is victory
over death and hell; and he sees the certain consequences if this prize is
not obtained, this victory not won--an eternity of misery. He sees,
therefore, let others think and say what they may, he must run if all others
stand still, he must fight if all others are overcome. But to do this or any
part of this a man must have the life of God in his soul. To begin to run is
of divine grace and power; to keep on he must have continual supplies
communicated out of the fullness of a covenant Head; and to be enabled to
persevere to the end so as to win the prize, he must have the strength of
Christ continually made perfect in his weakness. But he does win; he is made
more than conqueror through Him who loved him. Jesus has engaged that he
shall not be defeated; for the race is not to the swift nor the battle to
the strong; but the lame take the prey; and not by might nor by power, but
by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.