by leaps and bounds

You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you (Galatians 5:7-8).

Someone had hindered the believers in Galatia from obeying the truth. The Apostle Paul said they had run well. We have to be careful that, as we are running the race set before us, we do not allow anyone- including Satan- to hinder us.

Hebrews 12:1 says “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” We have to put aside all hindrances because we have a race to finish. We will be rewarded at the end of it.

Our reward is not temporal; it is eternal. Our reward will not perish. Notice the words of I Corinthians 9:25: And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. According to II Corinthians 4:18, we are involved with unseen, eternal things:

While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Running the race well includes obeying the truth. When we started, we believed in God’s love, the righteousness of Christ, the death of Christ and the resurrection of Christ. Our faith in these truths has to stay strong if we are to finish successfully.

Our faith in Jesus motivates us to live for Him. We desire to live pure lives because we are trying to bear witness of Him- we want to be good examples for Him. Our worship of Him and service for Him is zealous. We are all in.

Certainly, we need to keep in mind that this is not a sprint- this is a long distance run. As we keep our goal in mind, we must refuse to allow anything to stop us from running. We desire to echo the following words from The Apostle Paul:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing (II Timothy 4:7-8).

The thought of letting up or ceasing to run the race does not come from God. Again, hear the Apostle say,”Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.” God will never tell us to give up- even when we falter and at times fail. Instead, He will always say, “Don’t stop running.”

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Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.