Context is really important here.

In ancient Greece, athletes stripped naked to run a race. Today, it’s for the sake of having some level of decency that athletes put a little bit on.

What an athlete wears could mean the difference between victory and defeat; even to the point of shaving the hairs on their body. The smoother and lighter an athlete is, the faster and easier they run.

Being a Christian is one endless marathon with so many uninspiring moments. Once in a while, something happens that boosts your feet; but more often than we care to admit, we have times of “Why bother?”. Perhaps you sit down on the track and sob. I don’t want this anymore!

When that happens and you feel weary and begin to lose hope, the writer of Hebrews says that you are probably putting on too many clothes (figuratively) and looking somewhere else instead of straight ahead. The result is that you lose focus and drift away from the race.

This Easter is a time of great returning. Return and refocus on the pioneer and champion who ran the race perfectly before us, Jesus. He suffered mockery and death on the cross because he knew what was ahead: redemption. And he indeed he was victorious in defeating the grave and rising from the dead.

Strip off the cares and trophies of this world that steal attention. Lift up your eyes and see Jesus who has felt it all and understands how you are feeling. Listen to the cheers of the countless people of faith that have gone ahead of us, pushing you to go on.

Take off whatever you have on and return to focus.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)

SONGS OF MY RETURN