It says in Hebrews 12: “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith…”
When I was running track in high school and college, the sprint coaches were always telling us that once we came out of the blocks we needed to keep our eyes on the goal, on the finish line, and we needed to keep going, even in practice, to persevere and not give up, to run all the way through the tape and even ten yards beyond.
This weekend we celebrate some saints who have done that and have finished their race, received the crown of life and are in the heavenly stands now cheering us on as we run our race. We also cheer on some younger saints as they sleep outside in Shantytown in solidarity with the poor along with Jesus who loves and cares for all people and leads us in doing so too.
We learn from them all about persevering in this race, which is long and hard and grueling sometimes. They remind us to keep our eyes on Jesus and to keep going, one foot, one day, in front of another, no matter what the weather or the challenge.
Those saints in our lives that we miss so much, they are all up there all around with angels shouting, encouraging: run hard, don’t give up, keep on. And Jesus is waiting there at the finish line too, with his hand up just waiting to high-5 us and welcome us with the crown of life.
I remember how good it was to see my coach there, to cross the finish line, to fall into the arms of my teammates who had run their races before me. Someday we will finish this greatest of races – what a day, what a finish, that will be. We’ve just got to keep going.
~ Pastor Tim