Looking Up

     Hebrews 12:1-3 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible for several reasons, one of those being that it applies a running analogy to the message that it conveys. I am a runner at heart, and in the last six months or so I have become even more of a runner in practice.
     One thing I have noticed while I run is my form. The coach that I train with occasionally has talked about form, and its importance to running a good race. Of course most people would assume that bending over while running is not conducive to breathing, or folding your arms over your chest causes you to be off balance - but most people don't do those sorts of drastic things while trying to run. It's smaller things - a little imbalance of the core, a little turning in of the foot, etc., the things people don't realize but can truly effect your run. And everyone's body is created and operates differently, and everyone has bad habits that need to be broken.
     I discovered one of my bad habits a couple weeks ago. And it applies directly to verse 2 of Hebrews 12.
     When I run, I tend to tilt my chin down and look primarily at the ground instead of out ahead in front of me. There could be several reasons for this (and probably all of them are true). I could be trying very hard and concentrating on each step, I could be extremely weary and too tired to lift my head, or I could be afraid of looking out front for fear of tripping and falling. All of these at the time seemed like valid reasons to look down - until I started looking up.
     When I look up, I run so much faster. Why? I'm not completely sure. It's probably more of a psychological thing rather than physical. I'm no longer looking at my body to make sure it's behaving properly, and I'm no longer looking at the obstacles in front of me. I'm looking up and out, focused on where I'm headed and focused on the journey there.
     Hebrews 12:2 doesn't tell us to look at ourselves and our sin. In fact, in verse 1 it says to lay aside our sin which clings so closely. It also doesn't tell us to look at our obstacles and trials in life. Verse 2 begins with, "looking to Jesus". Where did Jesus go, but before us? He ran the perfect race so we wouldn't have to, but nevertheless we follow in His footsteps.
     Looking up isn't easy. It requires faith and trust to take your eyes off yourself and your circumstances, and to gaze at something that seems so distant. But I promise you that if you do that, you will be unchained and free to run with more vigor and endurance towards that which you are pursuing.