So since we are surrounded by this crowd
of witnesses who lived as faithful friends,
let's strip off every weight that slows us down,
ditch all the sin that trips us up, and sends
us into spirals down of bitterness,
or cynicism; being so darned small,
we could not understand answers addressed
to questions that we ask - demanding all.
And let us run enduringly the race
that God has set before us in these lives.
But how on Earth could we do that? - & face
our hardships without just closing our eyes?
Our only way's by keeping our eyes fixed
on Jesus, who's the champion we know,
who pioneers our faith and then perfects
it, mod-el-ling it here on Earth below.
'Coz of the joy (he had and) yet to come,
he went through crucifiction, with its shame.
And God, his God, let him sit on his bum
in place of highest rank, with highest name.
Think of him: with hostility endured
from sinful people; if you do, you won’t
get weary and give up (though still unskewered
in fighting to respond to love), you don't
forget the words God spoke, they're un-ignored!*
So we will keep our courage with them too.
God said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s ..
his .. discipline, and don’t give up when you
corrected are. For he will discipline
all those he loves (and punish ev'ry child).”
As you endure this discipline divine,
remember God's not letting you run wild,
but taking you ('n your choices) here for real,
in treating you as truly his own child.
You ever seen a child who had no feel
of discipline by parent? ..Know the style!
Does it not show a lack of wise good love?
Since we respected earthly fathers, then
their discipline of us could work above
us, for our greater good. What now, more, when
the stakes are higher - truer good-er life.
Will we now not submit ourselves much more,
and treat God's discipline within our strife
as nothing to be truly grateful for?
Our earthly fathers did the best they could,
for just a few short years, and we are glad.
God’s discipline is always for our good,
that we might share his holiness, not sad-
ness, though it's not enjoyable — it’s pain-
ful! Afterward there'll be a harvest true
of right living for all who will be trained
with-in this way (of suffering). We'll do
whatever's needed! We will take a grip
with tired hands, and strengthen our weak knees.
And choose a straight path so our feet don't slip
so though we're weak and lame, we will not seize!
But rather be healed, strengthened in this life
lived on God's Earth, and loved from birth, devel-
oped, also healed when things bin stressed from strife.
Receiving open-handedly, and dwell-
ing in this gift most multi-functioned and
a part of his community of life,
an "ecosystem" (that's the way it's planned)
of diff'rent folk, who see the joke, 'n live live!
* And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved son, and you bring me great joy.”
Mark 1:11 NLT, Luke 3:22 NLT, + Matthew 3:17 NLT
* And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved son, and you bring me great joy.”
Mark 1:11 NLT, Luke 3:22 NLT, + Matthew 3:17 NLT
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,
let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.
Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary
and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?
He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects
you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
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