His Little Turtledove…

 1 O God, why have You cast us off forever?

Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,

The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—

This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.

3 Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.

The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.

4 Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;

They set up their banners for signs.

5 They seem like men who lift up

Axes among the thick trees.

6 And now they break down its carved work, all at once,

With axes and hammers.

7 They have set fire to Your sanctuary;

They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.

8 They said in their hearts,

"Let us destroy them altogether."

They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.

9 We do not see our signs;

There is no longer any prophet;

Nor is there any among us who knows how long.

10 O God, how long will the adversary reproach?

Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?

11 Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?

Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.

12 For God is my King from of old,

Working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 You divided the sea by Your strength;

You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.

14 You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces,

And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

15 You broke open the fountain and the flood;

You dried up mighty rivers.

16 The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;

You have prepared the light and the sun.

17 You have set all the borders of the earth;

You have made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD,

And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.

19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!

Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.

20 Have respect to the covenant;

For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.

21 Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!

Let the poor and needy praise Your name.

22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;

Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.

23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;

The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually. —Psalm 74

What a great psalm for us to pray through today as our own world becomes increasingly filled with voices of the enemies of God. 

Verses 1-11 speak to the psalmist’s fear as he acknowledges that God had seemed to have abandoned His chosen people. I can also feel that same kind of abject terror whenever I contemplate what my life here in this fallen world would be like without God as my stay…without His hope, His wisdom, His provision, His shelter and especially His merciful, loving, comforting kindness in and over my life.  

In Verses 12 through 17 the psalmist speaks of God’s power.  My God is powerful, and His works are wonderful.  I can, as the psalmist does, look back over my life and remember his merciful protection. Yes, I have faced and still face very grieving trials, but my God is faithful!  His promises are forever.  His mercies never fail.  He has commanded His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song has been with me. My God is my very present help…I have no cause to fear.  His favor toward me is good. I can hope in His mercy. 

Throughout this Psalm, Asaph reminds God of the special bond He has with His people and of His everlasting covenant with them. As I read the psalmist’s plea for help in verses 18-23, I was reminded of God’s promise to me from Philippians.  

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;—Philippians 1:6

Verses 19 and 20 were my favorite because in them Asaph not only reminds God of the covenant He has with His people, but also of His affection for them.

19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!

Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.

20 Have respect to the covenant;

For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty

I am His little turtledove, saved by His grace.  Yes, in this world I will have tribulation, but in and through every tribulation will also be His comforting, merciful Presence. I can be of good cheer, because He has overcome the world…even its darkest haunts of cruelty. My God will see me through this life.  Beloved, if you are His child, hear the words of Amazing Grace…for they are yours.

Amazing grace, How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now I am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

And grace my fears relieved.

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares

I have already come,

'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far

And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me

His word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease

I shall possess within the veil,

A life of joy and peace.

When we've been there ten thousand years

Bright shining as the sun,

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we've first begun.

Trusting God as We Journey…

 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.—Luke 9:1-3

Here Jesus, after giving his disciples both the ability and authority, commissions them to go out and do what they had seen Him do.  

My focus, as I read, zeroed in on verse three.  The disciples were to journey depending on God to meet their needs.  They were to trust His care, His provision and His power in everything...from food, clothing, the casting out of demons and the of healing diseases. He (the Great I AM) would become for them what they needed as they journeyed. 

I am pretty terrible at this. Even when I think I am trusting Him, there is always an underlying anxiety in my heart that seems to overshadow.  I know it is there because I have habits or “tells” that belie my outward calm.  I also know its root cause, but how to ease my concerns is not in me. My mind “trusts” that God can be relied on, but my heart is not so easily convinced.  What do I do?  I confess my sin and press on.  As I do this, I pray that He will unite my heart to fear His name and root out the double mindedness that is evident. 

Beloved...the One whose Presence goes with me (us), the One who performs all things for me, (for us) will make perfect that which concerns me. (us). He will align my will and yours with His perfect one.  It won’t happen overnight (although He could do that), but it will happen moment by precious moment as I (we) continuously place our trust Him.  

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,—2 Corinthians 3:5

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.—Psalm 139:23-24

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.—John 14:27

The following is a list of verses from my Thompson Chain Reference Bible in regard to dependence.  My heart was encouraged and helped as I read them this morning.

Genesis 41:16

Exodus 17:11

Exodus 33:15

1 Kings 17:4

2 Kings 6:27

2 Chronicles 20:12

Psalm 22:10

Psalm 127:1

Jeremiah 10:23

Matthew 8:25

Matthew 15:32

Luke 9:3

Luke 11:3

John 3:27

John 15:4-5

Acts 3:12

1 Corinthians 4:7

2 Corinthians 3:5

2 Corinthians 4:7

God Knows What We Need…

 21 Thus my heart was grieved,

And I was vexed in my mind.

22 I was so foolish and ignorant;

I was like a beast before You.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;

You hold me by my right hand.

24 You will guide me with Your counsel,

And afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but You?

And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

26 My flesh and my heart fail;

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.—Psalm 73:21-26

Asaph is struggling here with sins of envy, evil thoughts and discontent.  Specifically why do the wicked prosper…why are they at ease even though violence covers them like a garment. Verse 2 and 3 tell us that he had almost succumbed to this temptation, until he went into the sanctuary of his God. 

16 When I thought how to understand this,

It was too painful for me—

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God;

Then I understood their end.

Asaph goes to the right place in his sin and his struggles. He brings his heart to God. 

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.—Psalm 62:8

I was in this same place last night as I prayed and read the Scriptures before bed. My heart was convicted and my spirit pricked.  I felt as Asaph described…foolish, ignorant and like a beast before Him. My sin loomed large and gross in the light of my holy, good and merciful God. I went to the devotional I had written that morning and was singularly comforted. My God knew at the beginning of yesterday what I would need from Him by evening. I remembered that despite all my failures and shortcomings, I am beloved of God.  There is nothing that can separate me from His love…not even me.  Asaph says it perfectly.  

Nevertheless I am continually with You;

You hold me by my right hand.

24 You will guide me with Your counsel,

And afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but You?

And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

26 My flesh and my heart fail;

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Beloved of God…Truly, it is good for us to draw near to our God and put our trust in Him.  We are weak, but He is strong. 

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.—2 Corinthians 12:9-10

The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved…

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”—John 20:1-2 (emphasis mine)

John, the inspired author of the Gospel of John, refers to himself throughout its pages as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Like David, the great Psalmist of Israel, the apostle John emphasizes his personal relationship with His God.  I love it in the Psalms and I love it here in John’s gospel.  I like to think that every time John wrote those words  his heart was filled with the wonder of them.  Jesus loves Me!  Jesus loves you!  This is a simple, but nevertheless amazing and profound truth that brings so much comfort and peace to my heart.  I, like John, am beloved of God.

My beloved is mine, and I am his.—Song of Solomon 2:16

The older I get and the longer I walk with the LORD, the more I love my Jesus. But it is also true that as I get older, the more I know me and as a result, the more amazed I am that Jesus TRULY loves ME.  

Beloved…May our mouths be filled with grateful praise today as our hearts dwell on this simple truth. May we then go forth in the power of His Spirit and live the wonder of it! 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.—Colossians 3:16-17

 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.—John 13:23

When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.—John 19:26-27

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.—John 21:7

Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.—John 21:20-24

No Matter the Pain…

 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.—John 19:25

Scripture tells us that when all the other disciples had forsaken Jesus only these four precious women and John remained.  No matter the pain…no matter the price…these lovers of God remained with their Lord at the foot of His cross.   

I cannot (and don’t want to imagine) what witnessing a crucifixion would be like.  Watching even a true criminal and someone I am not acquainted with face death in such a way would be dreadful and very difficult for me to watch.  But the horror (and helplessness) of watching my own beloved Son die this kind of death as Mary, the mother of Jesus did here, is completely and utterly beyond my capacity to even imagine. Truly, as Simeon, by the Spirit of God said:

a sword will pierce through your own soul also…

How did these women and John not collapse under the heaviness of what they faced?  The verse that comes to mind is this one. 

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.—2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Beloved, truly the Lord’s grace is sufficient for all we will face here.  

Oh Father, May Your grace to me in times of trouble and overwhelming suffering surround me and strengthen me.  

Know Peace…

 Now it happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?”

So he answered, “What peace, as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many?”—2 Kings 9:22

I stopped here in my reading today in 2 Kings. Truly, there is no peace when sin abounds and the wicked rule.  

I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.—Isaiah 57:19–21

This is not only true for the wicked but even the heart of a believer can churn and become troubled.  One of the reasons for this could be that we have unconfessed sin in our lives. Beloved, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace.  The cure for a lack of peace is to keep a short account of our sin by confessing them to our God.  1 John 1 says this:  The emphasis placed on verse 9 is mine. 

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.—1 John 1:5-9: 2:1-2

Beloved…I so desire this fellowship with God that 1 John speaks to, but ironically even now as I write this I can feel an unrest in my spirit. My flesh wants to finish this devotional so I can get to the “rest” of my day.  This is not an attitude that reflects a surrendered heart. My time is in the hands of my God.  He will make my way straight and redeem my time. He will perfect that which concerns me. God doesn’t care if I write a devotional. He wants ME…He wants MY HEART.  In obedience then I will bring my double-minded and faithless heart to Him and confess my sin to the One who is filled with mercy and grace and desires only good for me.  

Keep your heart with all diligence,

For out of it spring the issues of life.—Proverbs 4:23

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.—Jude 20-21

Lessons from a Canine…

 The name of the LORD is a strong tower;

The righteous run to it and are safe.—Proverbs 18:10

Yes, in the way of Your judgments,

O LORD, we have waited for You;

The desire of our soul is for Your name

And for the remembrance of You.—Isaiah 26:8

I have an 8 pound poodle who is always on high alert.  Today as I read these verses I realized that for him, I am his strong tower.  His eyes seek my comfort and my direction when he is scared.  He barks and I (most times) tell him quietly that it is okay…that there is no need for fear or alarm. I direct him to his spot near where I sit and he settles…until the next time. Sometimes comforting him requires more than words.  Sometimes, like when there is a buzzing insect in the house, nothing short of my lap will do. 

Buzzing insects, you say?  Wolf (yes, lots of irony in that name) is petrified of buzzing insects. If there is one in the house, he literally shakes in fear.  In his fear and trembling, he does whatever he can to hide and protect himself from the infernal buzzing.  My lap becomes his goal. Once there, his trembling slowly begins to ease and lessen. For the next few hours, Wolf becomes my shadow.  He, as the Bible puts it, follows hard after me.  He keeps me in his sights. We, as humans, can learn a lot from dogs. 

Beloved….Praying today that each of us, when our hearts begin to fear and even sink within us, that we flee to You and hold tight. You, Jesus, are the anchor of our souls. You are where our heart finds strong encouragement and our inner man is strengthened. You will not allow our feet to slip or our grip to break down no matter what pressure is brought to bear on it. Today, then, we will come (we will run) to You with our anxieties and fears.  You will keep us safe from peril. Isaiah 25:4-5 is perfect here.

4 For You have been a strength to the poor,

A strength to the needy in his distress,

A refuge from the storm,

A shade from the heat;

For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

5 You will reduce the noise of aliens,

As heat in a dry place;

As heat in the shadow of a cloud,

The song of the terrible ones will be diminished.—Isaiah 25:4-5

The LORD your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing."—Zephaniah 3:17

The eternal God is your refuge,

And underneath are the everlasting arms;

He will thrust out the enemy from before you,

And will say, ‘Destroy!’—Deuteronomy 33:27

God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear,

Even though the earth be removed,

And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,

Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

Selah—Psalm 46:1-3

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name

Be joyful in You.

12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.—Psalm 5:11-12

Beautiful Pictures of Faith and Kindness in 2 Kings 4

There is so much in the first part of 2 Kings 4...I just want to read and reread it and pray that I can take a page so to speak out of both these women’s books.

Elisha and the Widow’s Oil...

Lord...I want to trust You when my faith is tested.  I want to cry out as this woman did and bring my need to You knowing that You will regard my prayer.   You heard the cry of this woman’s heart who was widowed, destitute and oppressed.  Your power multiplied “little” into “much,” filling all the vessels she had gathered to meet her need.

Elisha and the Shunammite Woman...

I have written Shunammite woman before but I can’t help it...I have got to write again.  Every time I read this section of 2 Kings my heart longs to be as this woman was...kind, others-centered and content.  I love thinking at how her contented spirit flowed from her outward focus and kindness to others.  Her mind was not on herself and what she didn’t have it was on others and what they needed.

Lord...I want to show concern and kindness to others like the Shunammite woman from 2 Kings 4.  Oh to have spiritual eyes to see a need among Your people and pray for You to use me to fill it.   

I love her answer to Elisha when he asked what he could do for her in return for her care and concern for him.  “I dwell among my own people”, she replied.  She WAS content!  She wanted nothing!   We read in verse 14 that her husband was old and that they were childless.  She suffered the stigma of barrenness and her husband might die without an heir to carry on his name and yet she asked for nothing!   Her God knew her need, though, and filled the longing in her heart and gave her what money could not purchase...a son.   

Oh, Father, work in me a contented spirit that trusts in Your kindness and provision and that looks to bless others.

As the Lord Liveth, and as thy Soul Liveth, I will not Leave Thee…

 2 Kings 2

This chapter fascinated me.  The ministry of Elijah was coming to an end and he was getting ready to pass his mantle on to his younger protégée, Elisha. On the day that this would happen Elijah takes Elisha to four different cities. Their starting point was Gilgal. First off, I loved that no matter how Elijah and even the prophets of the day tried to dissuade Elisha from following Elijah on to each different city, Elisha’s reply was always the same…

As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.

Praying that the Lord would grant me this same tenacious spirit that no matter my circumstance I would not look to the left or to the right but up and unto my God. Oh, Father, by Your Spirit may my heart always abide, obey and follow hard after You.  

I was also curious as to why God chose those particular cities to bring both Elijah and Elisha through on that last day.  I went back to each one in my Bible and was blessed as I read the stories associated with them and the lessons learned.  Verse one of 2 Kings 2 says this…

And it came to pass, when the LORD was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 

Gilgal - After 40 years of wandering this was the first place the Israelites stopped after crossing over into the Promise land.  It was where the generation that had not been circumcised were circumcised. 

Rend your heart and not your garment…

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.—Romans 2:28-29

Beloved…the Lord our God wants our hearts. To obey is better than sacrifice. He is 

near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart. These He will not despise

And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.—2 Kings 2:2a

The next stop was Bethel which is translated the house of God. It is where Jacob saw in a dream the angels of God ascending and descending on a heavenly ladder. It was where God promised him that He would be with him wherever he went. When Jacob woke up he said this:

16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." 17 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"Genesis 28 (emphasis mine)

No matter our circumstance…no matter where we find ourselves we, as believers, are in Christ.  He will never leave us or forsake us. He will complete the good work He began in us.  He will see us through this life and as we take our last breath here, His eternal arms will bear us up to be with Him forever. 

And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.—2 Kings 2:4

The third city Elijah stopped in was Jericho whose walls were high and seemingly impregnable. Here, the Lord fought for His people using their obedience to bring about victory. We are not sufficient for anything we face, but the Spirit of God who dwells in us IS. It is He who fights for us. Beloved…Go in His strength. The battles are always His, not Yours. 

And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.-2 Kings 2:6

The final destination for Elijah and Elisha before Elijah was translated and Elisha would pick up his mantle was the Jordan River. The Jordan is where the priests took that step of faith into the waters of the Jericho River and as they did the waters were parted and dry land appeared. 

We walk by faith through this life…not by sight. We, as believers, are to be directed, guided and empowered by His Spirit. We are to depend on Him and not ourselves. Step by precious step. 

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. 

Father, I am so thankful for Your word to us and the great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us. Thank you for their testimony.  Thank you most of all for Your Son and the gift of His Spirit who dwells in our hearts. 

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart..—Hebrews 4:12

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.—Hebrews 4:14-16

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.—Hebrews 12:1-2