Have you gotten so accustomed to your bad habits that you don’t even recognize them anymore?

I have a terrible habit.  I leave a trail of work everywhere I go.  Just the other day I took a shower after my workout.  I was wearing a green shirt and black pants.  Later in the day I passed my pants in the hallway and thought – oh, I should start the laundry.  I had just been in the bathroom, so I started looking for my green shirt elsewhere.  After no luck, I peaked back into the bathroom and sure enough the sweaty shirt was lying on the floor right where I left it.

You hear excuses for sin all the time.  People say “that’s just the way I am”, “it’s part of my personality” or “that’s how I grew up.”  Some even think its OK because the sin has been with them for many years.  They don’t even recognize it anymore.

But, sin is sin, isn’t it?

Hebrews 12 says:

Therefore, 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. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I love Hebrews.  If you have few minutes glance through the faith chapter found in Hebrews 11.  It sets this passage up brilliantly.

But for today let’s focus on these key phrases:

• throw off everything that hinders
• [throw off] the sin that entangles

Consider this commentary on our passage:

“By the sin that does so easily beset us, understand that sin to which we are most prone, or to which we are most exposed, from habit, age, or circumstances. This is a most important exhortation; for while a man’s darling sin, be it what it will, remains unsubdued, it will hinder him from running the Christian race, as it takes from him every motive for running, and gives power to every discouragement.”

What in your world do need to throw off?

For me, sure, I have some work to do on my work trail.  But this passage brings out some other areas I need to throw off.  I must THROW OFF the bad attitude I have toward my children.  I must THROW OFF my tendency to judge.  I must THROW OFF the need for everyone to please me.

So today friends, let’s pick up our dirty laundry and throw it off in the name of our Lord Jesus.

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