Hebrews 12:1-3, “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, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the same, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

I absolutely love watching my grandchildren play football and soccer.  My son used to play football in high school and I loved watching him as well.  It can be so crazy at times because not every team has good sportsmanship and not every referee is fair, but they all play anyway.  I am excited for them when they win and sad for them when they lose, but either way, as long as it is humanly possible I am going to be there cheering them on to be the best they can be and have fun doing it!

Did you know or do you ever think about the fact that these verses are telling you that you have a great cloud of witnesses cheering you on?  As you persevere and pursue Him, Jesus is saying, “Did you see that?  That’s my Girl/Guy!”  He is cheering you on and clearly, there are others in heaven cheering you on as well. When you fall down or make mistakes they are cheering you on to get up and keep going.  Let that sink in for a moment and allow that to motivate and encourage you that you can make it another day! Allow that truth to keep you on the right path.  They are cheering you on!  They are telling you, “You can do it, just cling to Jesus!”  Let go of whatever it is that is holding you back from becoming all that God created you to be and run that race He has put before you.  Train like you have never trained for anything before.  Pursue Jesus and your relationship with Him.  You are not alone!  You can do this!

Jesus loves us so much that He was willing to allow all of our sins to be dumped on Him and to endure that shame even though He was perfect.  He kept His eyes on the end results and the purpose of it all ~ our salvation.  Don’t grow weary, He wants to walk with you.  He wants to cheer you on.  Seek Him.  Ask Him for the strength and confidence you need.  The more time you spend with Him the more your confidence will grow in who He created you to be.  Don’t miss out on a moment with Him and certainly don’t miss out on all that He created you to be.  

Quote:  “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson