The hope set before me

As my feet pounded the pavement with the sun beaming down on a hot January morning and sweat pouring down my forehead, I wondered if I could push through to the end. My goal, set before I headed off, was to run 5km in under 30 minutes. This goal - that I set for myself in the comfort of my own house in the cool of the bathroom as I dressed in my running gear - was before I experienced the heat of the morning.

I opened the door and it hit me. It was already 27 degrees at 7am in the morning. We were experiencing one of the several heatwaves our beautiful climate brings us each Summer. And after running for about 15min, my body was depleting in energy.

Furthermore, I realised I was suffering the consequences of a late night in getting to sleep. The exhaustion my body hid from me when I awoke to my normal alarm was now painfully screaming at me as I rounded up my third kilometre.

Could I go on? Could I push through to finish the 5km or should I just stop now? Or maybe I could just walk it. It wouldn’t be as satisfying as finishing the goal set before me but maybe that was ok.

Then I remembered….Hupomone.

A funny word to be popping into my head as I am running but a word that brings encouragement.

You see, Hupomone (hoop-oh-moan-ay) is the greek translation of perseverance. It is referenced in the bible when scripture encourages us to persevere in trials and sufferings. It is defined as “steadfastness, constancy, endurance,” and it is inspired by hope.

It is “the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings”.

Hupomone is enduring and persevering in our purpose because of the hope set before us. It is pushing through and remaining steadfast in the trials and sufferings.

“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” Hebrews 10:36

Hupomone is what enables us to see the hope set before us of the promises of God and seeing Jesus face to face and to persevere to the end to receive what is promised to us.

Hupomone is a characteristic that comes from Christ. The Lord directs our hearts into his love and into the steadfastness of Christ (2 Thess 3:5).

The steadfastness of Christ….

He who was not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to God by even the greatest trials and sufferings.

Oh to have our hearts directed to the steadfastness of this amazing Saviour. To have such love and loyalty to our Father God that we are not moved in trials and sufferings as we keep the hope of seeing him at the finish line greeting us with arms open wide.

If we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. (Romans 8:25)

And as I pushed through the final 2km of my run that morning, and reached my goal line at 28 minutes, I could see it. A tiny glimpse of the joy, the excitement , the glory of reaching the finish line of the end of my life having been loyal and steadfast to my God and seeing my Saviour face to face.

I only saw a tiny glimpse – but it is enough to give me the hope I need for the race set before me.