While this summer was filled to the brim with new adventures and a host of new friendships, I never thought that my first summer in Washington, D.C. would also include running Supreme Court slip opinions to Fox News Sunday anchor Shannon Bream.
With only three hours of sleep the night before, I was tired but ready to run the 60-page opinion as I braced against the court’s marble walls. With the small booklet in hand, I dashed outside the court and passed a row of photographers. I was about halfway to Bream. However, as I frantically sprinted across the intersection by the Court, my legs suddenly became weak. Standing in the path leading to the Capitol Building, I could not move any further.
Alarmed, I looked down at the opinion in my hand and then glanced at the path before me. I was completely stuck and lacked the strength to keep marching forward. Shaking my head and praying out loud, I asked the Lord for his strength, because I knew I could not make it the rest of the way on my own.
Seconds later, I was slowly able to pick up speed again as I reached the end of the path and finished my journey.
That day taught me the importance of truly leaning on the Lord for strength, rather than relying on myself. It also reminded me of the spiritual race that the writer of Hebrews describes in chapter 12, verse 1, which states: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
In this passage, the writer explains that all Christians must charge forward and “run with endurance” in order to get through any obstacles or hardships in their way.
All is not lost, since as these runners of the faith continue moving forward, the verse describes a “cloud of witnesses” cheering the runner on, which could refer to heroes of the faith in heaven or even angels as well, according to EnduringWord.com. However, of all the lessons to be taken from this passage, the writer states that it is most important to keep our sights set on Jesus, since he is “the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). He should be “our focus, our inspiration and our example” as noted by EnduringWord.com.
The only way that I could keep running at the court was by setting my sights on God, instead of focusing on how I lacked the strength to keep moving. Praying and trusting in him was the only way to endure and finish the race well. No matter the obstacles ahead, it will be much easier to overcome any obstacles in life when focusing on the hope that we have from Christ’s victory over death.
“Jesus was able to endure the ordeal of the cross because He understood the good that would come of it – the good of a redeemed, rescued people honoring God for all eternity,” according to EnduringWord.com.
Hebrews 12:1-2 illustrates the importance of maintaining a mindset transfixed on the good of God’s kingdom to keep moving forward since this is what Jesus did in order to overcome the cross. While even the son of God understood the pain of what was before him, he persevered because he knew God’s plan would be the precursor to man’s redemption and lead to a future of hope for many.
As Paul explains in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, all Christians should remain hopeful as they run the race before them because a life devoted to honoring God will lead to a “crown of righteousness” when reunited with him in heaven.
Davis is the Editor-in-Chief for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X.