Streams of Joy Devotional by Jerry Eze 26 December 2021 | Face Your Race

That is the Focal Scripture of Streams of Joy Devotional today.

When Herod heard that a new king had been born, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem was also troubled. Herod imagined that someone had come to displace him from his throne; he imagined that he was about to lose his place to another; he acted like one who felt insecure; he lost his cool and lost his sleep because another king had emerged. Herod was unsettled because he probably thought that Jesus would take his place.

Jesus did not come to take Herod place; He came to take up a responsibility that heaven bestowed on Him. He had His own place to be in; He had His own race to run; He had His own destiny to fulfill; He had a purpose to fulfill which was totally different from Herod’s purpose; He had heaven’s mandate, and was not going to waste His time chasing after Herod and his throne.

Jesus came to run His race with no distraction.

Friend, run your race, face your lane, focus on what God has called you to do and start doing it, take up your responsibilities, stay on what God has given you and don’t waste your time competing with anyone. Don’t feel bad that someone got the same testimony you already got; don’t feel bad that someone is emerging greatly in the same space where you once held sway.

Don’t get in a rat race with anyone.

Jesus and Herod may have both been called kings, but there was nothing much between them. Their missions were different, their purposes were different, their life’s assignment differed, and there was no need for Herod to lose sleep. You have no need to lose sleep on account of another person if you stay on your race. You have no need to lose sleep on account of another man’s relevance when you have your own chance to be useful.

When the chips are down, it won’t matter how many people you saw their profile and lost your sleep; it would matter much more, if you really ran your race or not.

2 Corinthians 10:12 says: “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”