I get so excited about things that I learn. Honestly, I think that I am totally weird in that respect. I am never happier than when I am taught by the Spirit—or perhaps I should say that I am never happier than when I see God’s purposes being brought to pass, and I don’t know of many things that are greater in doing that than his influence on a person when he gives them unadulterated information in the Spirit. And I’ve never seen another person react the same way I do when taught by the Spirit. I am normally a pretty serious and sober-minded person, but when I learn things that bring me or anyone else closer to God, I feel very child-like—like when you see a child laughing at the newness of seeing bubbles, or riding a bike, or frolicking through an open field for the first time.
Hebrews 12 is such a wonderful passage of scripture!
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 11 is one of the greatest chapters on the topic of faith in all of scripture. In it are listed several well-known biblical personalities, as well as brief recountings of ways in which each them exercised great faith.
It is on the heels of that chapter that we read verses 1 and 2 of chapter 12. The “cloud of witnesses” mentioned in verse one are those individuals listed in chapter 11. They are witnesses to the fact that one must live a life of faith if they are to find favor with God, and if filled with faith, we should be able to reasonably expect ourselves to be able to set aside those things that “so easily beset us.” So many people don’t believe this! And yet, in order for the gospel to be efficacious in our lives, we have to believe this! We have to believe that every weight and every sin can be laid aside. Who does the “laying aside?” We do. We do this when we completely repent and agree to keep his commandments, at which point “the race” we are to “run with patience” starts. The resulting spiritual rebirth marks the beginning of that race, and the language used in verse 1 to describe the race, as well as that which moves into verse two, is reminiscent of Nephi’s admonition to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ” in 2 Nephi 31—to steadily move forward along a course of improvement, “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” His place “at the right hand of the throne of God” is a consequence of his enduring the cross and the shame that comes with it—something that he willingly chose to do “for the joy that was set before him.”