Running for What Matters 存心忍耐
Dexu Xia
Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1
It was impossible not to tear up at my friend Ira’s status update. Posted in 2022 only days after she’d left her home in Kyiv, the besieged capital of Ukraine, she shared a past image of herself lifting her country’s flag after completing a running event. She wrote, “We are all running to the best of our abilities a marathon called life. Let’s run it these days even better than that. With something that never dies in our hearts.” In the following days, I saw the many ways my friend continued to run that race, as she kept us updated on how to pray for and support those suffering in her country.
Ira’s words brought new depth to the call in Hebrews 12 for believers to “run with perseverance” (v. 1). That call follows chapter 11’s moving account of the heroes of faith, the “great cloud of witnesses” (12:1) who’d lived with courageous, persistent faith—even at risk to their lives (11:33–38). Even though they “only saw . . . and welcomed [God’s promises] from a distance” (v. 13), they were living for something eternal, for something that never dies.
All believers in Jesus are called to live that same way because the shalom—the flourishing and peace—of God’s kingdom is worth giving our all for. Christ’s example and power is what sustains us (12:2–3).
By: Monica La Rose
What examples have you seen of courageous faith? How does Jesus’ example give you hope?
Dear God, words fail me when I see Your people’s faith and courage in heartbreaking circumstances. Give me the courage to follow You like that.
存心忍耐，奔那摆在我们前头的路程。—希伯来书12章1节
看见我朋友艾拉在社群网站的动态更新时，我忍不住哭了。2022年，乌克兰首都基辅遭敌军围困，住在那里的艾拉不得不逃离家园。几天后，她分享了一张自己过去完成跑步项目后举起乌克兰国旗的照片。她写道：“我们都在尽最大的努力，为一场名为生命的马拉松而奔跑。这几天，让我们带着永远不灭的盼望，竭尽所能地奔跑吧！”在接下来的日子，艾拉不断发布消息，让我们了解如何为她的国家遭受苦难的人们祷告并给予支持，她正以多种方式继续跑这场马拉松。
希伯来书12章呼吁信徒在奔跑前面的路程时要“存心忍耐”（1节），艾拉的一番话让我对此有更深的体会。这个呼吁对应了第11章中对诸多信心伟人的生动描绘。“这许多的见证人，如同云彩围着我们”（12章1节），以勇敢、坚定的信心生活，甚至必须冒着生命危险（11章33-38节）。尽管这些见证人对上帝的应许只是“从远处望见，且欢喜迎接”（13节），但他们是为永恒的事物而活，为永远不灭的盼望而活。
所有相信耶稣的人都应当以这样的方式生活，因为上帝国度的繁荣与平安，值得我们为此付出一切，而且支撑我们的是基督的榜样和力量（12章2-3节）。
作者： 白茉妮
你见过哪些勇敢地坚守信仰的例子？耶稣的榜样如何给你盼望？
亲爱的上帝，看见祢的子民在艰困的环境里，仍勇敢坚定地信靠祢，让我百感交集。
求祢赐我勇气，让我也能像他们那样跟随祢