Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Romans 12:1)
Another favorite verse
provided this morning by Biblegateway.com. It provides a good process for
dealing with fear. There is fear that obstructs our way, and there is fear that
entangles. The response to both is to rid ourselves of them. One can go over or
around an obstacle or move it out of the way. Doing so may not be graceful. It
may not show us to be sublime athletes, but we can act against them or in spite
of them.
“Sin which so easily
entangles” is a different matter. A customer once brought a handful of
necklaces to the counter where I worked. She had put them in a plastic bag to
travel, and they were thoroughly entangled. Could we fix it? I don’t recall how
long it took us, but my coworker and I managed it. I’ve also watched videos of
people disentangling animals from fishing nets and barbed wire fences. It’s
always a major struggle.
From what I’ve written
about fear in the past couple days, the obstacles in today’s passage can refer
to feeling fear because there is something there that can do harm. The sin that
entangles is the fear that haunts and controls even when there is no sign that
the thing feared is near. That’s not the only way to understand the obstacles
and the entangling sin, but it strongly suggests what our responses to them
should be.
And how does one overcome
obstacles and disentangle from besetting sins? Part of the answer is running by
faith the race set before us. That brings to mind the story of Eric Liddell. If
you haven’t watched the movie Chariots of Fire – do. It is part of his story.
But the part of his story that comes to mind here is the fact that his running
form was not what the experts said it should be. When he tried to run according
to their rules, he failed. He won at the Olympics running wrong. But
what he said was “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel God’s pleasure.” This
is how we get past the obstacles and disentangled from the sin – by seeking God’s
pleasure, by keeping our focus on Him.
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