The Christian race is one that requires faith and tremendous perseverance. Jesus Christ is the Author and the Perfecter of our faith. He is the Perfect Example of a race run well and finished on His mission to and on the earth. Hence, we are exhorted to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ while we are on course our Christian race.

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Why fix our eyes on Jesus?

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1. Jesus Christ is the Author of our Salvation (Heb.2:10).
   He brought salvation for us by paying the penalty of sin by His death so that we who believe in our hearts his death and resurrection and confess with our mouths, “Jesus is LORD”, will be saved (Rom.10:9). Ephesians 2:8 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…” – that faith to believe in Him also is a gift from God! It is to Jesus we look to for our faith and salvation. The Christian lives by faith and not by sight (2Cor.5:7).
    

2. Jesus Christ has been perfected forever (Heb.7:28)
   We can only look up to another who has a higher standard than we have. Jesus though lived a life like us on this earth and was tempted in every way, He did not sin (Heb.4:15). He was perfected through suffering and became obedient unto death (Phil.2:8), enduring the cross (the shame, the pain and suffering that came with the cross). He is a perfect example for us to look to! "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Pet.2:21).

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As believers of Jesus Christ, while we are on this earth, we are engaged in running the race with the goal of reaching heaven. Since it is a lifelong process, there will be many things that come our way which can hinder our running well. According to Heb.12:1, there may be:

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• weights that pull us down – hatred, jealousy, fits of rage, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc
   

• sin that can easily beset us- the lust of the eyes, the flesh and the pride of life (1John 2:16)
   

• things that come against our capacity to endure- suffering (physical and mental)

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Yet in all these, Jesus is our Example of one who was victorious and endured till the end so that God gave Him the name above every other name (Phil.2:9) and seated Him at His right hand! We are called to learn from His life and example (Heb.12:3) so that we do not go weary, give up or miss the mark.

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As the year comes to a close and we are still in the race, we can easily look back and be dogged down by the weight of regrets- goals not reached, areas we have messed up, the cares and worries of this world that vie to dethrone Christ from our hearts, the suffering in and around us….But it is time for us to look in faith and hope to the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Christ Jesus …pick ourselves from where we have fallen- asking for His forgiveness and cleansing by His blood and with endurance run the race with a fresh hope and strength that comes from Him alone!

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Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank You for bringing me through to the end of another year- I give my regrets, my pain, my weaknesses to You- cleanse and strengthen me to face the new year with renewed hope – help me fix my eyes on Jesus alone and run my race with perseverance in the coming year. In Jesus name, Amen.