Patient Endurance

.....Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith....Heb.12:1,2
First of all, the race is marked out for us, set before us. We don't need to know the course ahead of time, we just need to know that if we just keep our eyes open and move forward, we will know where to go. We must fix our eyes on Jesus. Second of all, we know that the author and finisher has gone before us. We need not look anywhere else. No one knows better what path to take but He who not only designed the course, ran it himself, and now waits at the finish line. Don't you want to hear from the author and finisher, Jesus, when you get to the finish line? I want to hear him say to me, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
"I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the Island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus." Rev. 1:9 The author and finisher sometimes takes us to an island called Patmos in our race. Is the island of Patmos simply a 'water stop'? A port-a-potty stop? Hospital Hill? (I'll never forget hospital hill. Mile 12 of the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon. The hill feels like it's a mile long, and it goes right up behind Mary Washington Hospital. Half way up, the runners pass a huge sign on the right pointing to the entrance to the emergency room.) Could it be when we face an illness? Lose a job? Lose a loved one? Whatever Patmos is, it is merely an island in the big sea of Life. And the author and perfecter has already been there. He has gone before us. He is the One who laid out the course, ran it, then sat down at the right hand of the Father to cheer for us as we run the race. Somehow I picture He and the Father and the Spirit standing up to cheer, especially when we conquer challenges like Hospital Hill or the Island of Patmos. I can picture the three of them cheering, calling me by name. I feel the Spirit in my body giving me strength to run. His hand on by back gently pushing me, and in my legs reminding me that those who hope in the Lord will feel new strength, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint. (Is. 40:31) I hear the voice of Jesus, the author and perfecter calling to me, "Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for you souls." Mt.11:30 Oh, that sounds so good. Rest for my soul.
So what is patient endurance really? In Revelation, John refers to himself as our companion and brother in the 'suffering and kingdom and patient endurance' that are ours in Jesus. I think this means we share these three with John because of our belief in Jesus. The suffering, the kingdom, and the patient endurance are all ours. Jesus said to the church of Philadelphia, "since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole earth to test those who live on the earth." Rev. 3:10. Later in Revelation, John writes that when the beast of the sea is given power by the dragon, he will make war against the saints and conquer them. He is given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. All whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life will worship the beast.  John writes, "this calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the  part of the saints. Rev. 13:10. Again in Rev. 14, John calls for patient endurance from the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. We are told there is no rest for those who worship the beast or anyone who receives the mark of his name. Remember Jesus said, "I will give you rest."
Check out what Paul and Timothy say to the church of Corinth in 2Cor. 1:6. "If we are distressed it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer." What is Paul talking about? Is this the same patient endurance spoken of in other places in scripture? What were they, or are we being called on to patiently endure? Look ahead a few verses to 8,9,10. "....we were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope.
Set our hope. The race that is set before us. Hope is set before us as we fix our eyes on the author. The race, the course is set. Marked out for us. If we are going to make it to the end, to see the finish, to run the course that is set before us and see the finisher of our faith, we too must patiently endure, and we must rely on God. Only then will we find His rest.