🏁 Hebrews 12:1 | The Race Set Before You

together with

Hey {{first_name | everyone}},

Isn’t it beautiful how God’s Word just keeps on breaking open with each day of the week?

At the start of this week, our new memory verse seemed simple enough - now I hope it’s even more meaningful. Let’s wrap up the week and send you with a challenge to live out what we’ve been learning.

In today’s email…

✉ subscribe here | support our work 👐

_________, since __ ___ __________ by __ _____ a _____ of _________, ___ __ ____ ___ _____ _____ ______, and ___ _____ ______ __ _______, and ___ __ ___ with _________ ___ ____ ____ is ___ ______ __,

Hebrews 12:1

Think you know what your teen is talking about?

Teen language changes fast, and what sounds harmless can carry a completely different meaning online, at school, or in a group chat. You don’t need to know every trend. But understanding the words shaping your teen’s world can open the door to better conversations.

That’s why Axis created the FREE 2026 Parent Guide to Teen Slang: Back-to-School Edition. Decode the latest slang, understand the culture behind it, and feel more confident talking with your teen.

Download your FREE guide at axis.org/back-to-school.

p.s. This is a great (100% free) resource for parents, grandparents, teachers and ministry leaders who care about helping kids follow Jesus.

This week, we covered a lot of ground.

On Monday, we stepped back to see the bigger story. Hebrews was written to believers under real persecution, and just before our verse sits Hebrews 11, which is like the "hall of fame" of faith, from Noah to Abraham to Moses.

That's what "therefore" in Hebrews 12:1 points back to: faith is not meant to be a solo journey.

On Tuesday, we learned that the verse holds three places to direct our attention:

The witnesses encourage us, honest self-examination confronts the reality of our sin, but only Jesus can purify us through the Holy Spirit.

On Wednesday, we studied two Greek words and drew a distinction.

Sin is hamartia, "to miss the mark," and it clings so closely because it's skilled at tripping us up.

A weight (ogkos) is an encumbrance — something bulky, not necessarily sinful, that still slows you down. Both have to be laid aside in order for you to run.

And on Thursday, we saw how this verse connects to Scripture's larger call to behold God.

Consider him, says Hebrews 12:3. And David asked one thing: "to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord" (Psalm 27:4).

We become what we give our attention to — so we can only become like Christ by looking at the One who ran this race first.

As we reach the final leg of our journey, we want to invite you to reflect back on the road so far. Did something catch you by surprise? Which part challenged you? Who is one person who’d benefit from hearing this - can you share it with them?

Everything we uncovered this week fits into one sentence:

God is writing one big story and you are part of it.

The way you figure out your unique role to play is by fixing your gaze more and more on Jesus. Remember, you are not alone in this, nor are you the first one to walk this path. He will show you where to go and direct your steps.

💪 Challenge

Carry this verse into the weekend:

Find a moment this weekend where it’s just you and the Lord - before you leave the house, or before the kids wake up, or before your to-do list interferes. In any ordinary moment, take a deep breath, remember the cloud of witnesses around you and that you are part of something much bigger than yourself.

Look around, look in, look at Him.

🙏 Pray

Father, thank you for another week in your Word. Thank you that all of Scripture is God-breathed and I can experience, taste, and see how good it is. Help me to remember the verse I memorized this week and renew my mind through it. Amen.

In case you missed them, here are a few resources to help you dig deeper into our memory verse and its themes:

Our goal is to keep the Malachi Daily newsletter completely free in 2026.

Part of what will make that possible is having subscribers who support our work. For the cost of a few coffees per month, you can help us strengthen over 400 other believers in their faith this year!

p.s. If you’d like to give a custom amount to support our work, you can do that here.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:1