Scripture: Hebrews 12:1–3
Devotion
Have you ever started a new discipline such as exercising, journaling, praying, or cutting back on your phone, only to grow weary and give up? Maybe it got harder than expected, obstacles kept coming, or you started to doubt yourself. There are many reasons we quit.
Read Hebrews 12:1–3. What race is the writer encouraging us to run with endurance? Why might some have grown weary and given up?
In verse 2, believers are urged to keep their eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. We did not choose Him; He chose us. He not only initiated our faith but promises to bring it to completion: “He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6).
It is often hard to keep our eyes on Jesus when we face stress at work, family tension, illness, or loss. Our focus easily shifts from Him to the problem we want to fix. It takes faith to look to Jesus instead and trust Him with what feels out of control. Yet He understands every struggle. Jesus endured sorrow, pain, and persecution and now sits at the right hand of God, victorious over sin and death and ready to help us.
Listen to the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” Reflect on what it means to fix your eyes on Him, who began this good work and will bring it to completion.
A Personal Prayer
Based on Hebrews 12:1–3 and Jesus’ faithfulness in your life, write a prayer of praise and thanksgiving focused solely on Jesus, who He is, what He has done, and what He promises He will do.
Pray for Our Neighbors: Siloam Health
Siloam Health empowers neighbors from all nations to lead physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy lives. By offering holistic medical care and building community among immigrants and refugees, Siloam embodies Christ’s love and compassion to those in need.
- Pray for Siloam Health’s staff and volunteers for God to grant them compassion, wisdom, and strength as they serve.
- Ask God to bring healing and hope to every patient, meeting both physical and spiritual needs.
- Pray for increased resources and partnerships so Siloam can expand its ministry to even more families across Nashville.
Pray for the Nations: Pray for More Global Workers
As the church seeks to engage the whole person with the whole gospel anywhere, anytime, with anybody, there remains a deep need for more laborers in the harvest.
- Pray that God would call out new global workers from within Brentwood Baptist and churches across Middle Tennessee.
- Ask the Lord to strengthen and sustain current global workers serving in hard and unreached places.
- Pray for new partnerships and sending opportunities to emerge, multiplying healthy congregations among the nations.