Does your life have a focus? Are you driven by a great purpose? To be driven by a great purpose means that we get rid of anything in life that would keep us from attaining the goal we have chosen. St. Paul writes in our text from Hebrews, "...since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Get the picture? We are on the track waiting for the starter's signal. Everyone who has ever walked this life in faith is cheering for us. But we can't start the race until we get rid of the monkeys on our back, until we get rid of our selfishness and arrogance, our sloppiness and pride. You can't run a race looking over your shoulder. And you can't live your life fully if you are bogged down with unfinished business--regrets, grievances, hurt feelings. Get your eyes on the goal and get rid of anything that is slowing you down. It's like the imaginary conversation between two marriage partners named Liz and Gil:

Liz: "Gil, you promised you would be home at 4:00. It is now 8:00."
Gil: "Honey, please listen to me. Poor ol' Roger is in the hospital. He was knocked unconscious by a stray shot on the eighth green."
Liz: "Oh, that's awful."
Gil: "It surely was. For the rest of the game it was hit the ball, drag Roger, hit the ball, drag Roger."

If we are to get anywhere in the event known as life, we have to stop dragging Roger! We have to divest ourselves of anything that slows our progress toward our ultimate goal.

Ron Newhouse