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希伯来书12:1-3：我们既有这许多的见证人，如同云彩围着我们，就当放下各样的重担，脱去容易缠累我们的罪，存心忍耐，奔那摆在我们前头的路程，2仰望为我们信心创始成终的耶稣（或作仰望那将真道创始成终的耶稣）。他因那摆在前面的喜乐，就轻看羞辱，忍受了十字架的苦难，便坐在神宝座的右边。3那忍受罪人这样顶撞的，你们要思想，免得疲倦灰心。
我们在开始新的一章时往往会忘记前面章节讲的是什么。但原版圣经是不分章节的。第11章的末尾提醒我们有很多公义的信徒因为他们的信仰忍受迫害、苦难和死亡。当时的希伯来基督徒也是如此，我们今天的基督徒也是这样，只是规模小一些。但生活中也会有常见的困难使我们担负重担，也会有缠累我们的罪，使我们陷入困境，有时候我们确实“一路行走在危难中。”
所以《希伯来书》的作者鼓励我们该如何做呢？首先，他告诉我们当放下各样的重担，脱去容易缠累我们的罪。我认识的一个人带领一群年轻人背包旅行。他让他们自己收拾行李，但警告他们要轻装上阵。他们带了什么，零食、苏打水、更多的零食。出门的第一天，他们就因为负荷苦不堪言，到最后几乎把所有的东西都扔进遇到的第一个垃圾箱。对我们而言，生活也会如此。忧虑和担心让我们苦不堪言，因为我们的生命和时间表充满了太多的“不必要。”如果你陷入这样的困境，先卸下重担吧。
其次，也是更重要的，我们的作者鼓励我们仰望为我们信心创始成终的耶稣。看看耶稣和他做的事情！他所忍受的比任何一位圣徒都要多。他因那摆在前面的喜乐，能拯救我们的喜乐，就忍受十字架的苦难并轻看它的羞辱。
我们有一个多么伟大的救主啊！当我想到他为我做的事情，生活的重担和来自这个世界的弃绝就不那么重要了。耶稣为我们担负了真正的重担，他的轭是容易的，他的担子也是轻省的。
祷告：主耶稣，我灵里焦躁不安，直到在你里面找到了安息。请你教导我放下今生的重担，脱去缠累我的罪，并将我的眼目定睛在你身上。你是我信心的创始成终者。我这样祈求是奉你的名，阿们。
Hebrews 12: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us get rid of every burden and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with patient endurance the race that is laid out for us. 2 Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author of our faith and the one who brings it to its goal. In view of the joy set before him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of God’s throne. 3 Carefully consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinful people, so that you do not grow weary and lose heart. (EHV)
We tend to start a new chapter and forget what the previous chapter was about, but in the original text, there were no chapter divisions. Chapter 11 ended with reminding us the host of righteous believers who endured persecution, hardship and death for what they believed. The Hebrews faced the same things. And so do we, perhaps on a lesser scale. But there are also the normal hardships of life that weigh us down and the sins that so easily ensnare us. We do indeed “walk in danger all the way.”
So what does the writer to the Hebrews encourage us to do? First, he tells us to get rid of the baggage we have and the sins that entangle us. A man I know led a group of youth on a backpacking trip. He let them pack their own bags, but warned them to pack light. Snacks. Soda. More snacks. The first day out they struggled under their load and ended up throwing almost all of it into the first trash can they encountered. Life can be like that for us. We struggle under a load of worries and cares because of the “unnecessities” that we throw into our life and schedules. If you are bogged down, first unload!
Second and more importantly, our writer encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus who is the author of our faith and the one who makes it complete. Look at Jesus and what he did! He endured more than any of the saints will ever endure. Yet in view of the joy set before him, the joy of saving us, he endured the cross and the shame he bore on it.
What a Savior we have! When I think of what he did for me, then life’s burdens and rejection from the world seem small things. Jesus bore the real burden for us and his yoke is easy and light in comparison to that. Prayer: Lord Jesus, my heart is restless until it finds rest in you! Teach me to set down the burdens of this life and cast away the sin that entangles and to fix my eyes on you, the author and perfecter of my faith. I ask this in your name. Amen.