"...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross..." (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Burned into a wooden plaque which hangs above our entryway mirror is one of my son’s personal proverbs, "Look beyond that which you can see."  The eyes of faith are needed to see beyond the world directly in front of us, and to endure.  We are all in the world, in a race of some sort, but the yonder look belongs to those not of the world.  Endurance to run is needed in the world, but we who are not of the world need not muster it, only receive it.  It is given through Jesus who has established our faith and owns it. 

Endurance lags when we confuse the imminent, the urgent, the weights of the race with the race itself.  We loose heart in the race when we look at the burdens and not at Jesus.  Look at Jesus; remember the joy and the cross set before Him, and so receive endurance.  We are the joy for whom He endured the cross; it was for you and me!  And He is the joy for whom we run the race.  “Selah” this for a moment!

The race is set before us, but so is Jesus.  Let’s not run as if He wasn’t.   

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

"I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest..." (Job. 3:26).

When trouble is afoot, questions follow on the heel.  Job queried well: "Why? What have I done?  Have I sinned?  How long?  Oh, that the Almighty would answer me!"  

Who has not asked these questions and made these requests?  Have you noticed how God often does not give specific answers to our respective questions? It is not that the questions we ask are too small, but perhaps the answers we seek, are.  The thing is, we question wildly when inching our way through the wilderness on a footpath, but often where we want His reasons, He wants our restoration. 

God knows wilderness questions know not tame answers.  To the heart, rent and questioning, He will give nothing less than all-of-life answers to our real-life questions.  Is it tidy?  No.  Defined, faithful, dependable, even cultivated and careful?  Yes, by Love.  Shall we be more like Christ at trail’s end?  Then we shall start realizing how much He loves us.  Isaiah Fifty-three trailheads for many.

He gave us His love that we may love Him.  We may love those we’d rather not only because we have His love.  We may forgive only because we have His forgiveness.  We may have peace only because we have His peace.  While reasons seldom are given in the wilderness, restoration is for aye and always for those on the spoor of love, forgiveness and peace in the wilds. 

Author: Carolyn Roehrig